The Act of 31 January 2003 outlined “the principles for a phase out of the industrial production of electricity from nuclear fuel fission and the ban of new nuclear power plants.”

The law provided for the closure of Belgium’s nuclear reactors after 40 years of operation unless the security of the country’s electricity supply was at risk. The Act was subsequently amended in 2013 and 2015, to allow the Tihange 1, Doel 1 and Doel 2 reactors to operate 10 more years, i.e. 50 years in total.

Until the end of 2021, the Belgian government applied the 2003 Act, providing for the closure of all Belgian reactors by 2025. That is why the Doel 3 and Tihange 2 reactors were permanently shut down in October 2022 and January 2023, respectively.

On 13 December 2023, the Belgian Government and the ENGIE Group signed an agreement for the 10-year operating extension of the Tihange 3 and Doel 4 reactors.

This agreement is contained in the Act of 26 April 2024 amending the Act of 31 January 2003.

SYNATOM’s activities depend entirely on the decisions of its shareholder ELECTRABEL and on political decisions relating to nuclear power plants in Belgium.

Regarding the front-end of the nuclear fuel cycle, any shutdown or lifetime extension of a nuclear reactor will directly impact the strategy for supplying the raw materials needed to manufacture fuel assemblies. As part of the extension of the Doel 4 and Tihange 3 reactors, SYNATOM has concluded new contracts to procure natural uranium and concentration and enrichment services. SYNATOM is able to ensure the supply of enriched fissile materials within the timeframes set for the restart of the two reactors, i.e. from the end of 2025.

The same applies to the back-end of the nuclear fuel cycle, where the decisions of its shareholder ELECTRABEL and political decisions impact schedules and supplies, particularly for intermediate storage casks. SYNATOM is required to provide the operator ELECTRABEL with all the infrastructure and equipment necessary for the safe management of spent fuel assemblies within the specified timeframes.

Developments in Belgium’s energy policy also have significant financial repercussions, which SYNATOM must take into account when creating its nuclear provisions.

The agreement reached between ENGIE and the Belgian government at the end of 2023 has major repercussions on the provisions made for the management of irradiated fissile materials, for example.

The Belgian Government set up a Nuclear Provisions Commission under the 2003 Act. This independent Commission has the authority to provide advice and monitor the existence, adequacy and availability of the provisions. Its prerogatives were reinforced by the Act 12 July 2022.

The Commission issues opinions on: 

• the methods for creating the provisions. It also periodically assesses the appropriateness of these methods;
• the maximum percentage that SYNATOM can lend;
• the asset categories in which and the policy according to which SYNATOM can invest.

The Commission monitors:

• information about the adequacy of the provisions,
• the correct application of the methods for creating the provisions,
• the conditions under which SYNATOM provides its funds,
• the funds’ availability.

Every three years, SYNATOM submits a detailed file to the Commission covering the methodology for creating the provisions, financial strategy, timing, etc. This file therefore not only includes economic calculations but also technical documents from the nuclear operator or SYNATOM’s engineers. 

The Nuclear Provisions Commission relies on the technical expertise of ONDRAF and the Federal Agency for Nuclear Control to analyse every aspect of this file. ONDRAF is ultimately responsible for the final management of radioactive waste.

The Nuclear Provisions Commission then issues a binding opinion to the nuclear provisioning company, SYNATOM. This opinion may result in changes to the amounts of the proposed provisions or additional work to be performed by SYNATOM or the nuclear operator. The Nuclear Provisions Commission also sets the discount rate specific to each type of provision.

At the end of the electricity production phase (which lasts several years), the fuel assemblies are spent. They are currently stored at the Doel and Tihange sites.

The Doel power station has a specific building for dry storage casks. In Tihange, a centralized building comprising 8 docks allows for underwater storage. These two facilities are now at full capacity.

New dry storage facilities have been built in Doel and Tihange, to ensure long-term intermediate storage, until 2050.

The dismantling of a nuclear reactor starts after a five year period, called the Post Operational Phase. This preliminary phase allows the spent fuel assemblies present in the reactor deactivation pool to be moved to the centralized intermediate storage buildings.

Dismantling can then begin. All nuclear and non-nuclear equipment will have to be dismantled. The resulting waste is 98% conventional waste, mainly concrete and metals. The 2% radioactive waste will be sorted, treated and packaged before being transferred to BELGOPROCESS, a subsidiary of ONDRAF.