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Country profile: Belgium

Summary figures for 2010

Country
Number of nuclear power plants connected to the grid
Nuclear electricity generation
(net TWh) 2010
Nuclear percentage of total electricity supply
Belgium
7
45.7
51.2
  
OECD Europe
144
868.5
24.7
  
OECD Total
342
2 183.7
21.8
  

Country report

The Belgian Government has created an expert group, called GEMIX, with the objective of studying the ideal energy-mix in Belgium for the medium and long term. The expert group has to elaborate one or more scenarios for an ideal energy-mix which satisfies simultaneously the requirements of security of supply, competitiveness and protection of the environment/climate. The costs and benefits have also to be considered.

GEMIX has to prepare a provisional report by 30 June 2009 at the latest, which will be submitted to the Federal Council of Sustainable Development and the Energy Subcommission of the Central Economic Council. The report has to be finalised by 15 October 2009 at the latest. It will then be submitted to the Energy Minister. It is hoped that the Government will then take a decision on the future energy-mix of Belgium and the role nuclear energy will have to play in it.

The integrated project for near surface disposal of short-lived low and medium- level waste, which was approved by the Government in June 2006, is progressing well. The detailed designs and safety studies of the disposal and related facilities (one part of the integrated project) are being pursued in order to be able to introduce a licence application in 2011. For the other aspects of the integrated project (accompanying measures to promote the economic and social development of the region), the necessary efforts are made to establish the appropriate legal framework for its financing.

With respect to the long-lived medium- and high-level waste, the necessary research and safety activities are continuing, with the aim of presenting to the safety authorities a first safety and feasibility case in 2013 and a second safety and feasibility case in 2020 (the last one should answer all open questions). In the course of 2008, the necessary measures were taken in view of the realisation of the large scale heater test in the so-called PRACLAY gallery of the underground research laboratory in the Boom clay in Mol. This test must demonstrate that the Boom clay will behave as predicted from a thermo-hydro-mechanical point of view under thermal loading. The National Waste Management Organisation (ONDRAF) is preparing a waste management plan to be submitted to the Government in 2010 in order to obtain a decision in principle on the long-term management of long-lived medium- and high-level waste. In 2008, a state-of-the-art report has been written and the necessary preparations have been made for a societal consultation in the course of 2009.

Source: Nuclear Energy Data 2009

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Last reviewed: 7 October 2011