Belgium agreed on terms for extending operation of two nuclear reactors

The Belgian government has agreed with French energy company Engie on the terms for extending the operation of two Belgian nuclear reactors by ten years. Both parties to the agreement said so today. Belgium had originally planned to phase out nuclear power entirely by 2025 and rely more on natural gas, but reconsidered its plans following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Reuters reported.

The agreement concerns the Doel 4 and Tihange 3 reactors. „It strengthens our electricity supply, reduces our country’s energy dependence and ensures that low-cost, low-carbon electricity will be produced in Belgium,“ Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said of the agreement. He said the agreement was important for Belgian households and the country’s energy security.

„The war in Ukraine has fundamentally changed the energy situation in Europe. It is now urgent to free ourselves from dependence on fossil fuels and take energy back into our own hands,“ Belgian Energy Minister Tinne Van der Straeten said.