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Belgian reactors shutdown a test run for nuclear-free future

Ersin Çelik
09:27 - 22/10/2018 Pazartesi
Update: 09:36 - 22/10/2018 Pazartesi
REUTERS
Nuclear Power Plants in Belgium
Nuclear Power Plants in Belgium

Future Of Power

The struggle to meet energy demand this winter has raised questions about how Belgium will cope after its nuclear reactors are decommissioned.

A law passed in 2003 extended the lifetime of the oldest reactors to 2025, with phasing out due to start in 2022.

Energy expert Devogelaer told Reuters Belgium is likely to rely on natural gas, while an Elia spokeswoman said it expects to make up the loss from nuclear with gas and renewables such as solar and wind, plus higher imports.

The grid operator said in 2017 that at least 3.6 GW of new build adjustable (thermal) capacity would be needed to "cope with the shock of the nuclear exit".

Belgium has an LNG terminal and by 2020 will have interconnectors with France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Britain and Germany. But it has yet to begin building new gas-fired power plants.

"It would require the construction of between six to eight gas-fired generators in Belgium to replace the nuclear capacity," said Pierre Georges, lead EMEA utilities analyst at S&P Global.

"The problem is that as of today, no one is willing to build a gas power plant without a market design that would make them profitable."

A Belgian government plan to subsidise investment in gas plants is being reviewed to ensure it meets European Union competition rules, Marghem said.

But the clock is ticking.

"Time is up now, so if we have learned anything from this situation, it is that we should not linger on, we should really go ahead with the construction," Devogelaer told Reuters.

#Belgian
#reactors
#nuclear
#energy
#production
#Belgium
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