Are we in danger of running out of energy this winter? Should we fear the power and heating blackout? Some are worried. Especially since Russia has just cut its Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline to Germany. The MR pleads for the maintenance of four nuclear reactors instead of the two planned by the government. A will that does not pass at all on the side of the Ecolo party.
“I think we have to be realistic. The situation is extremely serious and worrying. We are all strangled by electricity bills that are completely exorbitant. Today, we are forced to choose the most local, the least expensive but also the most renewable way”declares the federal deputy Ecolo, Samuel Cogolati.
Combine nuclear and renewable as the MR wants? “Our Minister of Energy (Tinne Van de Staeten, membre du parti Groen) asked if it was possible to extend Doel 3 and Tihange 2 to spend the winter of 2023, and Engie/Electrabel’s answer was very clear: it is not possible. The nuclear fuel had to be ordered at least 3 years in advance. which has not been done.”
For Willy Borsus, Vice-President of Wallonia and Minister of the Economy (MR), “the world has changed since the beginning of the year. The expertise we had at our disposal was completely disrupted. We see the price of gas has multiplied by 15. Other countries are forced and forced to return to fossil fuels. Charcoal, for example. His reasoning is to maintain the means of production specific to Belgium to lower the price of energy, but not only. “Nuclear is about 10,000 jobs in the territory. Not to mention a certain number of induced jobs.”