Deal finalised for Belgian reactor restarts in November
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.
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Under a plan announced by Belgium's coalition government in December 2021, Doel 3 was shut down in September 2022, while Tihange 2 shut down at the end of January 2023. The newer Doel 4 and Tihange 3 were to be shut down by 2025. However, following the start of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in February 2022 the government and Electrabel - the Belgian subsidiary of Engie - began negotiating the feasibility and terms for the operation of the reactors for a further 10 years, with a final agreement reached in December, with a balanced risk allocation.
Belgium finalised plans in December 2023 to extend the lifetimes of Doel 4 and Tihange 3 by 10 years, providing capacity of 2 GWe from the reactors, which will be equally owned by the Belgian State and Engie. In addition, it determines a fixed amount to cover the future costs related to the treatment of nuclear waste, concerning all Engie nuclear facilities in Belgium, for a total of EUR15 billion (USD16 billion) payable in two instalments depending on the category of waste.
In July last year, the European Commission opened an in-depth investigation into whether the support for the lifetime extension of the two reactors was in line with its rules on acceptable state aid. On 21 February this year, the EC approved the plan.
On 14 March, Engie and the Belgian government closed the agreement, with the payment being made of the first instalment related to the transfer of responsibility for nuclear waste and used fuel. The second instalment will be paid when the reactors restart in November following maintenance and refuelling outages.
"As a result of the transfer of all nuclear waste liabilities to the Belgian government, Engie will no longer be exposed to the evolution of future costs related to the treatment of waste," the utility said.
It added that preparatory works for the 10-year extension of the two nuclear reactors "are in full progress". The remaining steps for the restart of Doel 4 and Tihange 3, it said, are: fuel deliveries to the Doel and Tihange plants; final validation of the extension file by the nuclear safety authority (expected in June); and works on the nuclear units during the scheduled shutdown periods (scheduled for April to July for Tihange 3 and July to end of October for Doel 4).
"With this closing [of the agreement], Engie strengthens its position as a leading energy transition utility in Belgium and a reliable partner for the Belgian authorities," Engie said. "Within the boundaries of its strategy, Engie will also be open for discussions on the federal energy policy on nuclear."
Belgium's energy ministry added: "The closing, which is the result of a dialogue and of in-depth and constructive work between the State and Engie, is a real paradigm shift that sends a clear signal to the operators: Belgium is entering into discussions about the future of its energy mix without taboos and with the will to build a resilient, affordable and low-carbon energy policy for the future ... [Federal Minister of Energy] Mathieu Bihet is delighted that Engie wants to be part of this new dynamic to ensure reliable and affordable energy for citizens and businesses on the one hand, and to strengthen the country's strategic autonomy in an unstable international context on the other."
