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Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for Industrial Info (Galway, Ireland)--Belgium's government has confirmed plans to close its two operating nuclear power plants by 2025 as long as additional energy resources are in place to cover the loss.
The plan, agreed after much debate within Prime Minister Alexander De Croo's seven-party coalition government, will first see the Doel 3 and Tihange 2 reactors shut down by 2022 and 2023 respectively, followed by the newer Doel 4 and Tihange 3 reactors by 2025. However, there is still the possibility that the lives of the newer reactors can be extended if new energy sources, including a new planned gas-fired plant at Vilvoorde and extra renewables, are not in place in time. Nuclear power accounts for almost half of the country's electricity, but this rose to more than 52% in 2021 due to record-breaking natural gas prices across Europe. For additional information, see November 29, 2021, article--Europe's Gas Crisis Deepens.
In addition, Belgium plans to invest 100 million euro (US$113 million) in researching new nuclear technology, such as small modular reactors (SMRs). Prime Minister Alexander De Croo stated: "We say goodbye to the old nuclear reactors and look to nuclear energy of the future. It would not be smart not to have a safety net."
The owner and operators of Belgium's nuclear fleet, Engie-Electrabel (Brussels, Belgium), does not believe the government's timelines are feasible. "Engie takes note of the Belgian government's announcement concerning the nuclear power plants and recalls, as we have done on several occasions and for more than two years, that technical, legal and regulatory constraints impose an incompressible deadline that does not allow us to ensure an extension of two nuclear units for the winter of 2025," the company told World Nuclear News.
Belgium's grid operator, Elia, has already warned that the country will need an additional 3.9 gigawatts (GW) of capacity from 2025 to replace the power generation from its nuclear reactors. In its last security of supply report, it stated: "This 3.9 GW can be provided by any technology but is necessary to be able to maintain security of supply in Belgium. The urgency is growing due to the accelerated coal exit in Belgium's neighbouring countries, especially in Germany. Even if the nuclear exit is partly reversed by, for example, keeping two reactors (2-GW) open for longer, there will still be a systematic need for new capacity."
Gas supplies a quarter of Belgium's power today, with a further 11% from wind and 5% from solar power. Industrial Info is tracking four proposed gas-fired plant projects there.
In related news, the end of 2021 saw the expected closure for three of Germany's last six nuclear plants as part of a complete withdrawal from nuclear power. These included the 1,410-megawatt (MW) Brokdorf unit in Schleswig-Holstein, the 1,360-MW Grohnde unit in Lower Saxony, and the 1,288-MW Gundremmingen C unit in Bavaria. The final three--the 1,335-MW Emsland unit in Lower Saxony, the 1,410-MW Isar 2 unit in Bavaria and the 1,310-MW Neckarwestheim 2 unit in Baden-Württemberg--will all close at the end of this year.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, six offices in North America and 12 international offices, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities. Follow IIR on: Facebook - Twitter - LinkedIn.
The plan, agreed after much debate within Prime Minister Alexander De Croo's seven-party coalition government, will first see the Doel 3 and Tihange 2 reactors shut down by 2022 and 2023 respectively, followed by the newer Doel 4 and Tihange 3 reactors by 2025. However, there is still the possibility that the lives of the newer reactors can be extended if new energy sources, including a new planned gas-fired plant at Vilvoorde and extra renewables, are not in place in time. Nuclear power accounts for almost half of the country's electricity, but this rose to more than 52% in 2021 due to record-breaking natural gas prices across Europe. For additional information, see November 29, 2021, article--Europe's Gas Crisis Deepens.
In addition, Belgium plans to invest 100 million euro (US$113 million) in researching new nuclear technology, such as small modular reactors (SMRs). Prime Minister Alexander De Croo stated: "We say goodbye to the old nuclear reactors and look to nuclear energy of the future. It would not be smart not to have a safety net."
The owner and operators of Belgium's nuclear fleet, Engie-Electrabel (Brussels, Belgium), does not believe the government's timelines are feasible. "Engie takes note of the Belgian government's announcement concerning the nuclear power plants and recalls, as we have done on several occasions and for more than two years, that technical, legal and regulatory constraints impose an incompressible deadline that does not allow us to ensure an extension of two nuclear units for the winter of 2025," the company told World Nuclear News.
Belgium's grid operator, Elia, has already warned that the country will need an additional 3.9 gigawatts (GW) of capacity from 2025 to replace the power generation from its nuclear reactors. In its last security of supply report, it stated: "This 3.9 GW can be provided by any technology but is necessary to be able to maintain security of supply in Belgium. The urgency is growing due to the accelerated coal exit in Belgium's neighbouring countries, especially in Germany. Even if the nuclear exit is partly reversed by, for example, keeping two reactors (2-GW) open for longer, there will still be a systematic need for new capacity."
Gas supplies a quarter of Belgium's power today, with a further 11% from wind and 5% from solar power. Industrial Info is tracking four proposed gas-fired plant projects there.
In related news, the end of 2021 saw the expected closure for three of Germany's last six nuclear plants as part of a complete withdrawal from nuclear power. These included the 1,410-megawatt (MW) Brokdorf unit in Schleswig-Holstein, the 1,360-MW Grohnde unit in Lower Saxony, and the 1,288-MW Gundremmingen C unit in Bavaria. The final three--the 1,335-MW Emsland unit in Lower Saxony, the 1,410-MW Isar 2 unit in Bavaria and the 1,310-MW Neckarwestheim 2 unit in Baden-Württemberg--will all close at the end of this year.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, six offices in North America and 12 international offices, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities. Follow IIR on: Facebook - Twitter - LinkedIn.
