Belgian report: scrap the phase-out

25 June 2007

[Foratom, 25 June] A report commissioned by the Belgian government to help guide energy policy to 2030 has backed retaining nuclear power as an economic and low-carbon source of baseload electricity. Belgium's Energy Challenges towards 2030 by the Commission on Energy said that to meet current and future energy needs, avoid a doubling of electricity prices and reduce its carbon dioxide emissions, Belgium must scrap its policy to phase out nuclear power. On 10 June a general election put Yves Leterme as the most likely candidate for prime minister of a new coalition government. Leterme has previously said: "Security of supply must be ensured and, therefore, an extension of the life of our nuclear power plants should be envisaged." Santiago San Antonio, director general of Foratom, the European nuclear indutry trade association, called the former phase-out policy "an expensive failure."

Further information

The 'CE 2030' report
Foratom

WNA's Nuclear Power in Belgium information paper

WNN: Belgium: New government, new nuclear policy?

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