Belgium’s Association Vinçotte Nuclear (AVN) has called for urgent inspection of unit 3 at the Doel NPP, which was intended to shut down in October. AVN has asked the Federal Agency for Nuclear Control (FANC) to carry out an inspection at the decommissioned unit. AVN made the request in a recent letter sent to FANC. It insisted that the East Flanders Public Prosecutor's Office and/or the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office should be present at the inspection.
AVN, founded in 1990, was responsible for on-site inspection of the nuclear power stations in Doel and Tihange until 2008, when that role was taken over by Bel V, a subsidiary of FANC.
According to AVN, "irreversible actions for the dismantling of the plant" threaten to be taken, and that would be contrary to the current operating licence.
On 28 September, the association instituted summary proceedings against the Belgian state, energy operator Engie Electrabel, and FANC, to prevent irreversible measures from being taken during the dismantling of Doel 3 without an environmental impact report first being drawn up. AVN insisted at the hearing that Engie should undertake not to do any work related to the decommissioning of the plant in the coming weeks, but that was refused, and the suit was postponed to 2 November "much against the AVN's wishes”.
AVN now fears that irreversible actions for the decommissioning of the plant may be taken "without obtaining the necessary decommissioning permit, in violation of the operating licence, and without a prior environmental impact assessment". AVN explained:
"Since an infringement of the operating licence is an act that constitutes a criminal offence, we request the public prosecutor's office to join them on the site."
Doel 3 of was disconnected from the grid on 23 September, in accordance with legislation on the gradual phase-out of nuclear energy, despite last minute attempts by some government officials to delay the closure in the face of increasing energy shortages in Europe due to sanctions on Russian gas and oil. Doel 3 is the first of seven Belgian reactors due to be taken out of service over the coming years.
Belgium has seven nuclear power reactors – three at Tihange near Liege and four at Doel near Antwerp – which account for almost half of the country's electricity production. Under the phase-out law, all were originally scheduled to shut down by the end of 2025.
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