Cross-border demonstrations took place on 25 June demanding the “immediate” closure of two Belgian reactors – unit 2 at the Tihange NPP and unit 3 at the Doel NPP. Some 50,000 people from Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands formed a 90km-long cross-border human chain to protest against the reactors, which were restarted in 2015 following a two-year closure after micro-cracks were detected in both facilities. The restart decision was made following extensive investigations and consultations with international experts.
Although experts recently detected 70 new fissures within Tihange 2, after using ultrasonic technology, Belgian Interior Minister Jan Jambon insisted that the plant’s safety was not in doubt and that it will continue to operate as will Doel 3.
German Environment Minister Barbara Hendricks last year failed in her attempts to force closure of the two units. Instead, Germany and Belgium agreed to a better exchange of information on all things nuclear. The demonstration was organised by environmental organisations in all three countries. As well as demanding the closure of the plant, demonstrators are calling for an end to deliveries of fuel elements to the two power stations from Germany's Lingen NPP, in the state of Lower Saxony.
