Enigin Update - Belgium Follow Suit in Shutting Down Nuclear Power
BELGIUM’S political parties have agreed, at least conditionally, to shut down the two remaining nuclear power stations a government spokes person revealed.
A plan for the shutdown of three reactors by 2015 and then elimination of nuclear power in the country by 2025 is conditional on finding enough energy from energy efficiencies and alternative sources to prevent any shortages.
Belgium's Energy and Climate Ministry spokes person said: "If it turns out we won't face shortages and prices would not skyrocket, we intend to stick to the nuclear exit law of 2003."
Belgium had passed a law in 2003 outlining planned nuclear shutdowns of the seven nuclear reactors at two plants.
The last available data, in 2009, from the International Energy Agency revealed that at that time atomic energy provided 55 percent of the country's generated electricity.
Since Japan's nuclear catastrophe on March 11, there has been much public rejection of nuclear power, which lead to Germany, Switzerland and Italy to scrap nuclear power in the wake of the Fukushima disaster in Japan.
Belgium had decided in 2009 to keep the oldest nuclear reactors running for 10 years longer than planned from 2003 law, but the change was never made, so the Government have now decided against this proposal.
Belgium will now see how it can find new capacity to replace the 5860 MW that will be lost from the two nuclear sites at Doel and Tihange once they are shutdown.
Fossil fuel and renewable energy sources can help towards any shortfall, with energy efficiency potentially making a substantial difference in reducing waste and hence demand.
Enigin Distributors in Belgium can help industry and commerce to improve their energy efficiency, reducing wasted energy, and lessening energy demand. With cutting edge technology from Enigin, power consumption, costs and CO2 emissions can be reduced, calling for a lower generating requirment.
Picture of Nuclear Power Plant Doel Antwerp by Joost J Bakker IJmuiden reproduced under CCL.
