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

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.

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 reached a deal on extending the operational life of the Doel 4 and Tihange 3 nuclear reactors. 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.