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Belgium to Completely Phase Out Nuclear Power by 2025

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bananas Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Nov-02-11 11:49 PM
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Belgium to Completely Phase Out Nuclear Power by 2025
http://www.enn.com/energy/article/43502

From: David A Gabel, ENN
Published November 2, 2011 09:19 AM
Belgium to Completely Phase Out Nuclear Power by 2025

The small western-European country of Belgium currently has two commercial nuclear sites and a total of seven reactors. Nuclear energy accounts for over half of the nation's power consumption, a total of about 45 billion kilowatt-hours per year. Although typically quite fractured, Belgium's political parties have reached a consensus on nuclear power. The oldest reactors are to be shut down by 2015 and all nuclear reactors at both sites will be shut down by 2025. The plan is conditional on Belgium finding enough energy from alternative sources to prevent power shortages.

The two Belgian nuclear sites are located at opposite ends of the country. Doel Nuclear Power Station is on the northwest side near the port of Antwerp. The Tihange Nuclear Power Station is to the southwest along the Meuse River. Plans to have the plants shutdown were drawn up way back in 2003. The plan was kicked into action as public hostility grew towards nuclear energy following Japan's nuclear disaster at Fukushima. It also has followed Germany's announcement that it would phase out nuclear power by 2022.

<snip>

:applause:

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Nihil Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Nov-03-11 05:04 AM
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1. Will be interesting to watch their progress ...
> The oldest reactors are to be shut down by 2015 and all nuclear reactors at both
> sites will be shut down by 2025. The plan is conditional on Belgium finding enough
> energy from alternative sources to prevent power shortages.
...
> According to environmental and energy analyst at Belgium's Itinera thinktank,
> Johan Albrecht, citing Belgian energy regulator CREG, the nation will not be ready
> by 2015 to replace lost capacity.

This situation matches that of many countries around the world that are currently
using nuclear power and who would love to switch over to alternative sources.

There will be a lot of eyes on the Belgian situation to find out how they will
boost renewable sources without boosting fossil fuel sources as well.


OTOH, I *like* their proposal for raising the money:

> Politicians are now deciding how much more the state will tax the nuclear
> companies moving forward. Socialist Party chief, Elio Di Rupo, has suggested
> raising their taxes from €215 million per year in 2009 to €1 billion per year.

How novel: a country that cares more about funding their needs than about
the negative lobbying over tax increases ...

:thumbsup:

Thanks for posting this.

:toast:
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