Belgium stops nuclear phase -out: Parliament decides extended terms!

Belgium stops nuclear phase -out: Parliament decides extended terms!

On May 16, 2025, the Belgian parliament voted with a large majority for the end of the nuclear phase -out. Of the 159 MPs, 120 voted for an extension of the runtime of the existing reactors, while only 8 were right and 31 abstained. This decision represents a turning point in Belgian energy policy, which has been shaped by debates about the future of nuclear energy for years. The government under Prime Minister Bart de Wever also plans to build new reactors to secure the country's energy supply, while in other European countries it is increasingly being used for nuclear power.

Belgium currently has two nuclear power plants, the Doel nuclear power plant and the Tiange nuclear power plant, which together have four reactors in operation. Originally, the decommissioning of the reactors was provided for 2023, but this was exposed to various challenges. In 2022, the Belgian government decided to extend the nuclear phase -out by ten years, so that a reactor from both nuclear power plants is to be operated by 2035. This is particularly noteworthy because in Germany, which decided in 2002 and switched off its last nuclear power plants in 2023, a significant turn in energy policy.

international reactions and security concerns

The Belgian nuclear wreaths not only provide discussions in Germany, but also internationally. In Germany, there are always demands for the decommissioning of the Belgian reactors, especially due to the defects found. North Rhine-Westphalia and the German Federal Government always warn that security aspects must not be neglected. The Tiange power plant is only about 60 kilometers from Aachen, which raises additional concerns about the security of the systems.

In a larger European context, several countries, including France and Sweden, are again increasingly on the use of nuclear energy. This development has not been unnoticed: Italy plans to build its own nuclear power plant for the first time in decades. This turnaround towards nuclear power takes place against the background of an increasing energy requirement, which requires an increase in energy production in many countries.

The decision in Belgium to revise the decommissioned terms and plan new reactors is a significant step that re -sparked the debates about the role of nuclear energy in the global energy landscape. Belgium thus shows a different direction, while other countries like Germany continue to hold on to an exit from nuclear power.