Belgium has reached an agreement with French utility Engie to extend the life of two nuclear power plants by 10 years, the prime minister said on Monday (9 January), reversing a plan to phase out reactors in 2025 as it looks for ways to secure reliable energy supply in the face of rising prices caused by the war in Ukraine.
The Doel-4 and Tihange-3 reactors were due to close for good in 2025, but will now restart in November 2026 after necessary work and will continue operating for 10 years.
The two Generation II plants are the newest of Belgium’s six reactors – three at Doel and three at Tihange – and began operation in 1985. Both are 1,038-MW pressurised water reactor units supplied by Framacec, a consortium of Framatome, ACEC and Cockerill.
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