Belgium Must Decide between Gas and Nuclear

Belgian electricity transmission system operator Elia has concluded that closing the seven existing Belgian nuclear power plants is only feasible if an additional production capacity of at least 3.6 GW is realised by 2025.

This has caused a problem for the federal government. In 2003, a law was passed that meant closing the nuclear plants once they had completed 50 years' service. But in 2015, when the three oldest reached that age, the ruling majority changed the law and extended their life span by another decade. Today, potential investors in solar, wind and flexible gas-fired plants fear that the same might happen with the four remaining plants, which would otherwise close in 2022, 2023 and 2025. Investors in new renewable and gas-fired capacity would be undercut by nuclear power generated by amortised plants.

N-VA, the largest political fraction in both the Flemish and the federal government, wants to change to law extend the life span of two nuclear plants by a decade. Other government parties and most opposition parties are resisting this.

N-VA's main energy specialist Andries Gryffroy says the investment procedure for a new gas fired plant, if it began now, will not bring a new operational plant online before 2027. Furthermore, the Elia study stresses that the expected life-span of gas-fired power plants is limited to 25 years and that by 2040 all current such plant will be closed. Of course, when needed, Belgium can import more electricity by reinforced interconnections. Gryffroy dislikes this option, as parts of the imported power will be generated by French nuclear, Dutch coal or German lignite fired plants.

VLD-parliamentarian Willem-Frederik Schiltz urges the government to leave no doubt about the closing of the power plants and to back investments in more flexible gas plants. Federal minister Marie-Christine Marghem (MR) however, says she will need another 1.5 year to prepare a system of subsidies for non-nuclear generation. This way, she leaves her successor with the problem as the current legislature ends about the same time.

Koen Mortelmans