Belgium will shut down a nuclear power plant for the first time as part of the phasing out of nuclear energy

BRUSSELS, September 24 — PRIME. Belgium on Friday evening began shutting down one of the operating reactors at the Dul nuclear power plant in the Antwerp region as part of a program to completely phase out nuclear energy, Belgian TV channel RTBF reported.

This refers to the reactor of the third power unit of the Dul nuclear power plant, which worked for 40 years and could provide up to 10% of electricity consumption in Belgium.

At the end of last year, the Belgian ruling coalition decided to shut down all operating nuclear reactors in 2025. At the same time, the crisis in Ukraine and a sharp rise in energy prices forced the government to reconsider its decision and keep two reactors until 2035.

However, a number of politicians insist on extending the work of other reactors in the face of the energy crisis in the EU and a sharp increase in electricity prices.