Belgium to use urgent procedure status for nuclear phase-out law

General view of the Tihange Nuclear Power Station of ENGIE Electrabel in Tihange

FILE PHOTO: General view of the Tihange Nuclear Power Station is seen after the Belgian government agreed in principle to close its two nuclear power plants by 2025, in Tihange, Belgium, December 23, 2021. REUTERS/Johanna Geron/File photo

Source: X07006

Belgium's Chamber of Representatives has agreed to give the nuclear phase-out law an urgent procedure status, a spokesperson for Energy Minister Tinne van der Straeten said on Friday, confirming a report from Belga news agency.

This means that the energy committee could discuss Van der Straeten's bill as soon as March 12, the spokesperson added.

In December, Engie [ENGIE.PA] reached a deal on extending the operational life of the Doel 4 and Tihange 3 nuclear reactors.

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Van der Straeten has said she hoped to complete the legislative process before the country's elections in June.

Tihange is a 1,038 megawatt (MW) reactor in eastern Belgium, while Doel is a 1,039 MW reactor near the port city of Antwerp. The reactors, which entered service in 1985, account for 35% of the country's nuclear energy capacity.

This article was produced by Reuters news agency. It has not been edited by Global South World.

By Reuters