Belgian government confirms decision to extend operational duration of two reactors

On 18 December 2014, the Belgian government confirmed its decision to extend by 10 years the operational duration of Doel 1 and 2 nuclear reactors. The Council of Ministers examined on Thursday the situation of Belgium’s energy market and requested Marie-Christine Marghem, Energy Minister, to submit a bill. This bill will provide for the 10-year extension modalities in accordance with the governmental agreement. The two reactors will not operate beyond 2025 and the decision must be rubberstamped by the Belgian nuclear safety regulator.

The decision of the Belgian government shows once again that nuclear power is a vital element of Europe’s energy mix. It provides 27% of Europe’s electricity and 53% of its carbon-free electricity. It is a competitive, reliable and base-load source of energy that will continue to make a major contribution to all three pillars of EU’s energy policy.

For further information, please consult the website of the Belgian nuclear forum.