The Belgian government and French utility Engie have closed the agreement covering the extension of the operation of the Tihange 3 and Doel 4 nuclear power reactors by 10 years and on all obligations related to radioactive waste.

The European Commission has concluded its in-depth investigation and approved revised plans for Belgium's proposed financing of the lifetime extensions of Doel 4 and Tihange 3 nuclear power units.

Unit 1 of the Doel nuclear power plant has been taken offline for the final time after 50 years of operation and disconnected from the grid. Its closure is in line with Belgium's 2003 nuclear phase-out policy, under which two other reactors have already been shut down.

A new European research project, named EU-CONVERSION, has been launched with the aim of accelerating the conversion of high-performance research reactors by testing candidate low-enriched uranium fissile materials.

Belgium's new coalition government has announced plans to continue operating two of the country's reactors for an additional 10 years beyond the 10-year extension already agreed - and said it aims to construct new reactors.

The European Commission has opened an in-depth investigation into whether the support for the lifetime extension of two of Belgium's nuclear power reactors is in line with its rules on acceptable state aid.

A groundbreaking ceremony has been held at the Minerva particle accelerator construction site in Mol, Belgium, marking the start of the first of three phases of the development of the Myrrha accelerator-driven research reactor.

Leaders and representatives from 32 countries at the Nuclear Energy Summit backed measures in areas such as financing, technological innovation, regulatory cooperation and workforce training to enable the expansion of nuclear capacity to tackle climate change and boost energy security.

Following the signing of a strategic three-year partnership with Thorizon of the Netherlands, Belgian engineering firm Tractebel - a subsidiary of France's Engie - will provide engineering services including support on the conceptual design, computational modelling, cost estimates and design reviews of the Thorizon One molten salt reactor.