The Federal Agency for Nuclear Control (FANC) on Monday submitted to the federal government its analysis concerning a possible extension of the operating life of the most recent nuclear reactors in Belgium.
It emerges that for the FANC, the extension of the operation of Doel 4 and Tihange 3 is possible from the point of view of nuclear safety, but only if the installations are updated.
With DG Energy, the organization has established an overview and a schedule containing the actions to be taken and the decisions necessary to make “plan B”, the scenario of extending two reactors, “a success”.
For everything to be in order in 2025, the planned year of nuclear phase-out, the government would have to make a clear decision in the first quarter of 2022, but also that a global approach be developed with all the players concerned.
“Necessary requirements” and “possible adjustments”
The FANC proposes to consult Engie Electrabel within six months of the government decision in order to quickly determine the work to be carried out and when. A distinction would be made between “necessary requirements” and “possible adjustments”.
There are also a number of other important points to consider. For example, the FANC believes that an extension should cover a period of at least ten years in order to be able to develop a thorough action plan to improve nuclear safety. It should also be examined whether sufficient human resources are available to organize the extension of two reactors simultaneously with the dismantling of the other five, as well as the management and storage of radioactive waste.
If the federal government decides on March 18 to extend the operating period of Doel 4 and Tihange 3, the FANC is asking for the appointment of a coordinator who will ensure that the plan is correctly implemented and that all actors perform the tasks assigned to them. Finally, if the federal government confirms the complete phase-out of nuclear power in March, it should be considered irreversible from that moment on.
