Energy company Engie has announced its conditions for the possible extension of Belgian nuclear power plants until 2035. The French company does not seem to want to bear the costs alone. “Engie can only enter into this extension within the framework of a balanced distribution of risks, with a clear-cut, stable and viable regulatory framework for the required investments, including a clear framework for the decommissioning of nuclear power plants and nuclear waste,” it reads. .
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In mid-March, the federal government asked Engie to extend the life of the Doel 4 and Tihange 3 reactors by ten years, until 2035. “This means that Engie will have to fulfill its role as nuclear operator for much longer than anticipated. Engie is contributing to that reorientation and is working with the government to study the feasibility and conditions to implement this new scenario,” the company said.
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Engie reiterates that it has already indicated that it will take five years to implement the scenario, with the company referring to the strict obligations regarding, among other things, nuclear safety. Belgian CEO Thierry Saegeman also said earlier that the reactors concerned will probably be shut down between 2025 and 2027, in order to be able to make the necessary adjustments.
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Risk profile
The works to extend the reactors also coincide with the commissioning and dismantling of adjacent reactors, says Engie. Given its size, this potential extension would present a risk profile beyond the normal activities of a private operator.
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In the short term, the French company’s priorities are to “maintain a high level of operational availability, in preparation for the final closure of the first two units this winter (Doel 3 on October 1 and Tihange 2 on February 1, 2023, ed.† In the second half of this year, the company plans to start the triennial review process of its nuclear facilities. “With regard to that last point, and following the same process as in 2019, this review will take into account any required update to the technical and economic scenarios, especially costs, scheduling and discount rates,” specifies Engie.
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To finance the dismantling of the Belgian nuclear power plants and the disposal of nuclear waste, an amount of 41 billion euros would be needed until the year 2100. A piggy bank of more than 14 billion has already been set up at the subsidiary Synatom, but part of it has again been lent to Engie to finance new projects. So it remains to be seen how much the French will actually put on the table.
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