3 ms·

Hi, what's the general population's stance on Belgian nuclear plants ?

moooo99 5y ago
The construction of (fairly) new nuclear power plants near the shared borders with Belgium and France is actually an argument I hear quite often. In many debates people argue about why Germany should go ahead and quit using nuclear if the neighboring countries keep building and running new plants, also posing a huge risk to Germany in the event of a catastrophic failure (actually the risk in case of a failure is probably higher for Germany than it is for France or Belgium).
- johnchristopher 5y ago
  I don't think Belgium is going to build new nuclear plants any time soon. The retirement schedule is pretty tight and we may choose to keep 2 reactors running for 5 or 10 years (unlikely) but the operator (Engie) is sun setting them whatever happens and has set no money for upgrading them. They already wrote the loss of revenues in their accounting books.
hackerkreise 5y ago
I remember some big protests in the Aachen region against Tihange and Doel in 2017/18. I would say there is some concern about these plants.
xg15 5y ago
I don't know much about it, but from what I know, not very positive. There are worries about the age and general state of the reactors, in particular Tihange [1]. Apparently there had been various worrying incidents in the past, which eventually led to an ECJ lawsuit of neighboring german cities against the plant's operators [2]. There is also a popular sentiment in eco/progressive circles that the german phase-out of nuclear is to an extent hypocritical - because germany will keep consuming nuclear energy through belgian and french reactors. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tihange_Nuclear_Power_Station https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tihange_Nuclear_Power_Station [2] https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/german-city-aachen-sue-belgian-nuclear-power-plant-raising-border-tensions-1541622 https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/german-city-aachen-sue-belgian-nuc...
- johnchristopher 5y ago
  Belgium is sun setting its nuclear plants. Here's the schedule https://economie.fgov.be/fr/themes/energie/sources-denergie/nucleaire/base-legale-de-la-sortie-du https://economie.fgov.be/fr/themes/energie/sources-denergie/...: Doel 1 : 15 février 2025 Doel 2 : 1er décembre 2025 Doel 3 : 1er octobre 2022 Doel 4 : 1er juillet 2025 Tihange 1 : 1er octobre 2025 Tihange 2 : 1er février 2023 Tihange 3 : 1er septembre 2025 One of these got a 2 year extension, don't know if it's reflected in the list. But I doubt Belgium could move a lot of nuclear energy out of the national grid considering the gas power plants needed to replace nuclear aren't built yet. Belgium is also auctioning the building and operating of gas power plants: https://www.brusselstimes.com/news/belgium-all-news/167347/belgium-council-of-ministers-approves-auction-of-two-to-three-gas-fired-power-plants-tinne-van-der-straeten-crm-bill-nuclear-phaseout/ https://www.brusselstimes.com/news/belgium-all-news/167347/b... to replace nuclear plants. They aren't built yet but the first auction (for the building) takes place this week and the second one for operation some months later. There might be a last chance for nuclear if somehow participants to the auctions can't prove it can be done but the government is dead set on retiring nuclear plants so it would only be a small respite for nuclear. I am all for believing that renewables can keep on growing up but I read that our government is betting for some new tech in battery and power grid appliances to achieve 2050 objectives. Seems bold to me but I am not qualified to comment on that.
  - xg15 5y ago
    Good to know. I wasn't aware of that. Thanks for the info!

The construction of (fairly) new nuclear power plants near the shared borders with Belgium and France is actually an argument I hear quite often. In many debates people argue about why Germany should go ahead and quit using nuclear if the neighboring countries keep building and running new plants, also posing a huge risk to Germany in the event of a catastrophic failure (actually the risk in case of a failure is probably higher for Germany than it is for France or Belgium).

johnchristopher 5y ago
I don't think Belgium is going to build new nuclear plants any time soon. The retirement schedule is pretty tight and we may choose to keep 2 reactors running for 5 or 10 years (unlikely) but the operator (Engie) is sun setting them whatever happens and has set no money for upgrading them. They already wrote the loss of revenues in their accounting books.

hackerkreise 5y ago

I remember some big protests in the Aachen region against Tihange and Doel in 2017/18. I would say there is some concern about these plants.

xg15 5y ago

I don't know much about it, but from what I know, not very positive. There are worries about the age and general state of the reactors, in particular Tihange [1]. Apparently there had been various worrying incidents in the past, which eventually led to an ECJ lawsuit of neighboring german cities against the plant's operators [2]. There is also a popular sentiment in eco/progressive circles that the german phase-out of nuclear is to an extent hypocritical - because germany will keep consuming nuclear energy through belgian and french reactors. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tihange_Nuclear_Power_Station https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tihange_Nuclear_Power_Station [2] https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/german-city-aachen-sue-belgian-nuclear-power-plant-raising-border-tensions-1541622 https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/german-city-aachen-sue-belgian-nuc...

johnchristopher 5y ago
Belgium is sun setting its nuclear plants. Here's the schedule https://economie.fgov.be/fr/themes/energie/sources-denergie/nucleaire/base-legale-de-la-sortie-du https://economie.fgov.be/fr/themes/energie/sources-denergie/...: Doel 1 : 15 février 2025 Doel 2 : 1er décembre 2025 Doel 3 : 1er octobre 2022 Doel 4 : 1er juillet 2025 Tihange 1 : 1er octobre 2025 Tihange 2 : 1er février 2023 Tihange 3 : 1er septembre 2025 One of these got a 2 year extension, don't know if it's reflected in the list. But I doubt Belgium could move a lot of nuclear energy out of the national grid considering the gas power plants needed to replace nuclear aren't built yet. Belgium is also auctioning the building and operating of gas power plants: https://www.brusselstimes.com/news/belgium-all-news/167347/belgium-council-of-ministers-approves-auction-of-two-to-three-gas-fired-power-plants-tinne-van-der-straeten-crm-bill-nuclear-phaseout/ https://www.brusselstimes.com/news/belgium-all-news/167347/b... to replace nuclear plants. They aren't built yet but the first auction (for the building) takes place this week and the second one for operation some months later. There might be a last chance for nuclear if somehow participants to the auctions can't prove it can be done but the government is dead set on retiring nuclear plants so it would only be a small respite for nuclear. I am all for believing that renewables can keep on growing up but I read that our government is betting for some new tech in battery and power grid appliances to achieve 2050 objectives. Seems bold to me but I am not qualified to comment on that.
- xg15 5y ago
  Good to know. I wasn't aware of that. Thanks for the info!