Belgian nuclear reactors get ten extra years of life

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Series Details 29.07.15
Publication Date 29/07/2015
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Belgium's federal energy minister Marie Christine Marghem announced on 29 July 2015 the lifespan of two Belgian nuclear reactors would be extended beyond their initial forecast.

Negotiations were concluded with energy company Electrabel for reactors Doel 1 and 2 to last for 10 more years, until 2025. This decision appeared to ensure security of electricity supply in Belgium, according to the government.

About half of Belgium's electricity supply came from its seven nuclear reactors. Three of them were offline for months in 2014, another two suffered from temporary shutdowns. The temporary loss of part of the nuclear power, combined with a possibility of a harsh winter, caused concern in the winter of 2014-15 that Belgium could be faced with blackouts.

In January 2016, Germany, the Netherlands and Luxembourg raised concerns over the ageing Belgian nuclear reactors recently brought back to life after being shut down for more than two years over safety concerns.

Source Link https://euobserver.com/beyond-brussels/129795
Related Links
ESO: Background information: Belgium asks for solidarity to prevent electricity blackouts http://www.europeansources.info/record/belgium-asks-for-solidarity-to-prevent-electricity-blackouts/
Deutsche Welle, 26.12.15: Belgium restarts controversial aging nuclear reactor http://dw.com/p/1HU6e
Deutsche Welle, 16.12.15: Germans worried about relaunch of old Belgian nuclear reactors http://dw.com/p/1HOF2
Deutsche Welle, 23.12.15: Nuclear protesters bemoan German-Belgian rift http://dw.com/p/1HS36
Wikipedia: Nuclear energy in Belgium https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_energy_in_Belgium
World Nuclear Association: Nuclear Power in Belgium http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Country-Profiles/Countries-A-F/Belgium/
The Guardian, 16.12.15: Belgium angers Germany with nuclear reactor restart http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/dec/16/belgium-angers-germany-with-nuclear-reactor-restart
EUObserver, 19.01.16: Belgian nuclear plants under scrutiny by neighbour countries https://euobserver.com/energy/131907
France24, 29.01.16: Belgium's neighbours fret over reboot of ageing nuclear reactors http://www.france24.com/en/20160128-belgium-nuclear-reactors-doel-tihange-security
Deutsche Welle, 08.02.16: Lawsuits against nuclear reactors in Belgium kick off http://dw.com/p/1Hrgz
EurActiv, 05.04.16: Brussels weighs the cost of another century of nuclear power http://www.euractiv.com/section/energy/news/brussels-weighs-the-cost-of-another-century-of-nuclear-power/
EurActiv, 20.04.16: Germany tells Belgium to take two nuclear reactors offline http://www.euractiv.com/section/energy/news/germany-tells-belgium-to-take-two-nuclear-reactors-offline/
EUObserver, 21.04.16: Shut your nuclear plants, Germany tells Belgium https://euobserver.com/energy/133154
Deutsche Welle, 21.04.16: Renewed shutdowns cast doubt on Belgian nuclear safety http://dw.com/p/1IaU0
Deutsche Welle, 11.06.16: New incident at Belgium's Tihange 2 nuclear plant http://dw.com/p/1J4xj

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