Belgian nuclear phase-out "not that easy"

25 May 2007

Belgium will still have nuclear energy in 2015, despite legislation passed in 2003 calling for its phase-out, according to the country's prime minister, Guy Verhofstadt. Le Soir newspaper cited Verhofstadt as saying, "To stop (nuclear power generation) from 2015 is not that easy because there is no substitute at the moment for the most powerful reactors to be closed." He added that the oldest reactors can start to be closed, while investing in renewable energy and taking steps to create a fourth generation nuclear power source. The January 2003 Act prohibited the building of new nuclear power plants and limited the operating lives of existing ones to 40 years. However, this can be overridden by a recommendation from the electricity and gas regulator (CREG) if Belgium's security of supply is threatened. In November 2006, a group of independent scientists, economists and energy experts published a preliminary study recommending a fundamental review of the country's current energy policy. The report concluded that the substantial change in circumstances since the nuclear phase out law was passed in 2002 "requires a paradigm shift of the current official Belgian standpoint on nuclear power." Publication of the final report is due in June 2007.

Further information

WNA's Nuclear Power in Belgiuminformation paper