Belgium extends two nuclear reactors despite criticisms on climate

The Belgian government and the energy company Electrabel agreed to extend nuclear reactors Doel 1 and 2 until 2025, Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel said Tuesday.

This is an agreement to ensure the security of energy supply of the country and to invest in the energy transition, said Michel at a press conference.

The selective power cut risks in recent years made Belgium less attractive to investors that a country ensuring security of supply "in the short, medium and long term," said the head of the Belgian government.

As a reminder, Belgium received the shameful "Fossil of the Day Award" on the very first day of the Paris climate conference from the Climate Action Network (CAN) because of the lack of agreement among different regions of the country, negotiations on the extension of nuclear power plants, etc.

For the international coalition of climate campaign groups, "it is clear, the atom is not a credible solution against global warming," said the Belgian daily Le Soir.

But Belgian Energy Minister Marie-Christine Marghem ensures that nuclear power emits "as much CO2 as wind" and "less than photovoltaics."

"There is no contradiction between the extension of two nuclear power plants put into operation respectively in 1974 and 1975, and the respect by Belgium of its climate commitments at the COP21," she said.

According to Belgian media, the federal and regional governments of Belgium are still in negotiation to reach, as soon as possible, an inter-Belgian agreement on the distribution of the climate effort. Endit