The discussion between Van der Straeten and Bouchez revolves around the nuclear phase-out. At the end of 2020, the new De Croo government announces that it will close all nuclear power plants in 5 years. It is possible to keep a number of nuclear power plants open if a number of conditions are not met in 2021. At the end of 2021, Van der Straeten confirmed that keeping the nuclear power plants open is not on the table.
But in 2022 the government must go back on its plan. The energy crisis makes the nuclear phase-out in 2025 untenable, and the closure of the two youngest reactors is postponed by 10 years.
Bouchez sharply questions Van der Straeten’s policy. According to him, the minister has distorted reports to hold on to the nuclear phase-out for too long. In Terzake he also adds that there were contracts with Engie that even the government could not view.
Van der Straeten denies this: “I would like to emphatically say that that is not correct. We have published not only all contracts but also all linked documents on the government website.”
