Politicians question planned closing date of nuclear reactors

Electricity provider Electrabel and the nuclear regulator Fanc have warned the Belgian government that it does not have enough enriched uranium (pictured) to keep the nuclear power plants Doel 1 and Doel 2 open beyond the planned closing date of 2015.

The issue is currently being discussed by the parties trying to form a new federal government coalition, among whom there is growing consensus in favour of keeping the plants open. Doel 3 is closed at the moment because of structural problems, as is the plant Tihange 1 in Wallonia, while Doel 4 is closed down until at least the end of the year, after damage caused in an oil-leak in incident being treated as sabotage. Three employees at Doel 4 were this week suspended from duty in connection with the incident.

The plants run on enriched uranium, which loses its own radioactive energy as it is used to produce electrical power for industry and consumers. Since the date of 2015 was decided for the plants’ closure, Electrabel has planned its stocks accordingly, and now says it does not have reserves to call on should the closure be postponed.

New stocks can be obtained, but, according to Electrabel, the delay between ordering and delivery could be as much as two years. In the meantime, the federal parliament would have to amend the law on closing the plants to allow them to remain open.

Electrabel is also reluctant to buy new uranium in case the ageing plants, constructed in 1975, fail the tough safety tests they will be subjected to if they are to remain open.

Belgium’s nuclear regulator Fanc, meanwhile, is also concerned by the safety aspects, but can only begin to investigate in full if and when government negotiators include the point in their final governing agreement, spokesperson Nele Scheerlinck told De Standaard.

photo courtesy NRC