Doel-4 and Tihange-3 to remain online for further 10 years
EU competition regulators have approved Belgium’s plan to grant state aid to French energy company Engie’s Belgian business to extend the lifespan of two nuclear power reactors.
Under the Belgian nuclear phaseout law of 2003, all seven* nuclear reactors in Belgium had to be permanently shut down by 2025.
In March 2022, in light of concerns about security of supply in the context of the energy crisis and the Russian war against Ukraine, the Belgian federal government decided to keep the two newest Belgian nuclear power plants – Doel-4 near Antwerp and Tihange-3 near Liege – in operation for an additional 10 years.
In June 2024, Belgium notified the European Commission of its plan to support the lifetime extension of the two nuclear reactors, which together have a net electricity generation capacity of more than 2,000 MW.
Belgium and Engie had agreed a deal in December 2023 to extend the life of the two nuclear reactors to preserve the security of electricity supply in Belgium and neighbouring countries.
Under the deal, the Belgian State and Electrabel will issue shareholder loans and inject equity for a total of around €2bn ($2.09bn) to cover the capital cost of the extension.
The deal also includes Electrabel transferring liabilities, related to the long-term storage and final disposal of nuclear waste and spent fuel to the Belgian state for a lump sum payment of €15bn.
The reactors are majority-owned by Engie’s Belgian unit Electrabel while EDF subsidiary Luminus holds a minority stake.
When opening its investigation in July, the European Commission said it wanted to focus on the financial arrangements as well as on the proportionality of the amount of the transferred nuclear waste liabilities.
“The commission concluded that the aid is necessary and appropriate to achieve the objective pursued, as well as proportionate as it is limited to the minimum necessary, while competition distortions caused by the measure are minimised,” the commission said in a statement.
“On this basis, the commission approved the Belgian measure under EU state aid rules.”
Belgium’s new government has announced plans to secure the country’s reliance on nuclear energy, aiming for a 4 GW share in the country's electricity mix as part of efforts to secure a carbon-free baseload capacity. The four reactors now remaining in operation have a net capacity of around 3.4 GW
According to a coalition agreement, the aim to “restart” Belgium’s nuclear industry and see the operating life extension of existing nuclear plants and the construction of new reactors.
* Earlier this month the Doel-1 nuclear power station was permanently shut down, bringing the number of commercial reactors in operation in the country to four. Doel-3 and Tihange-2 had already been shut down in 2022 and 2023.
