If the future government parties continue their attempt to adjust the closure dates of the Belgian nuclear power plants, the lifespan extension of the two youngest reactors, Doel 4 and Tihange 3, is in danger of being jeopardized. According to De Tijd and L’Echo, this is stated in a note from the French energy group Engie to the federal parliament.
The European Commission is investigating whether the deal that Engie concluded with the government at the end of last year regarding Doel 4 and Tihange 3 does not lead to unauthorized state aid. Engie expects approval from Europe at the end of this year or early 2025, to be ready for a restart by November next year. But if the closing dates of one or more nuclear power plants change, the approval of the deal will be at risk, the energy giant argues.
Engie also reiterates that new nuclear investments no longer fit in with the group’s strategy, which wants to focus on renewable energy, among other things. Extending Doel 4 and Tihange 3 by twenty years, which is what the Arizona negotiators are asking for, is therefore not an option. Engie calls restarting the already shut down Doel 3 and Tihange 2 reactors “unrealistic” and “impossible”.
The Arizona parties that are pushing for more nuclear energy see Engie’s memorandum as taking a negotiating position to get the most out of it.