Reactions to the nuclear exit deal divided: from ‘the outcome of 20 years of apolitics’ to ‘relaxed and angry’

Before The green chair, Meiram Almasi The energy agreement that has just been concluded is an important step towards one hundred percent renewable energy. Since the outbreak of war in Ukraine, energy prices have skyrocketed. Accelerating renewable energy is the best way to become energy independent and to structurally reduce energy bills.

Almaci is also pleased that in the context of securing supply, the government has decided to provide sufficient flexible energy in the form of gas-fired power plants by 2025. Almaci concludes, “The need for flexible gas-fired power plants is the result of 20 years of non-compliance with policy, and energy transition to Renewable energy is the result of our policy.”

Federal opposition party N-VA He responds “with relief and anger” to the federal government’s energy deal. According to energy specialist Bert and Lantz, it is a good idea not to phase out nuclear weapons in 2025, but a 10-year extension is not enough, he said. According to Woolants, at least a 20-year extension was needed.

Read also. Agreement on the phase-out of nuclear weapons: two open reactors and two new gas-fired power plants

Technology Consortium agoria He points out that the war in Ukraine was necessary, leading to a deep energy crisis, to illustrate how important energy supplies are, says CEO Bart Stickers.

“Even if it is only a matter of starting negotiations, today’s decision provides a perspective for both energy consumers and investors, and thus also energy technology suppliers. It was necessary that the energy agreement also contain a number of long-term measures, namely to accelerate the energy transition,” he said. Bart Stickers says:

According to Agoria, announced investments in renewable energy, hydrogen and nuclear power will significantly reduce the carbon intensity of Belgium’s energy mix, something companies are also finding increasingly important. After all, customers increasingly expect a climate-neutral product or service. With regard to wind energy, it remains to be seen how that will shape, with particular attention to the appeal procedures in the State Council.”

Voca, the Flemish corporate network, is satisfied with the federal government’s fundamental decision to extend the life of our country’s two smallest nuclear reactors by 10 years. The federal government is making the right decision. We must not depend on unstable foreign systems for our energy supply. We must choose the energy mix that reduces the risk of energy shortage. And we have to significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions,” says Hans Mertens, CEO of Voka.

“We are pleased that the federal government has finally succeeded in reaching consensus on energy policy,” said Danny van Ash, CEO of UNIZO. “This alone is a huge step forward.”

Unizo He points out that compared to other EU member states, Flanders still lags far behind in the construction of heating, cooling and micro-grids. For example, the number of charging stations for electric cars should be significantly increased.

In the long run, we should not all be producing renewable energy ourselves in our small country. Through the European electricity grid, we can get energy from places in Europe where there is enough space and where nature plays to our advantage. This is cheap solar energy from the south and wind energy from the north,” says Danny van Ash.

He. She Federation of Belgian Companies (FEB) He wants to study all the details of the decision before responding in detail. But in the business world there is a triple feeling. First of all, we are satisfied with the decision on the extension of nuclear reactors. We are also pleased with the firm intentions to accelerate the energy transition,” says CEO Peter Timmermans. Finally, FEB hopes that there will now also be a sense of urgency to quickly obtain the required permits for much-needed investments to effectively achieve the energy mix of the future.

Engywhich operates the nuclear reactors Doel 4 and Tihange 3, will study with the government the feasibility and conditions for implementing the solutions envisaged at this stage.

The operator also notes that the federal government’s decision to extend the service life of the two smallest reactors comes with important safety, regulatory and enforcement requirements.

Selected for both plague and cholera

Bond Better Environment And the green area They are not happy with the agreement the government reached on Friday to keep the nuclear reactors Doel 4 and Tihange 3 open for a longer period. “This is a huge missed opportunity to rewrite our energy future,” say environmental organizations.

For Jean Vande Butte of Greenpeace, it is “incomprehensible” that the government wants to continue relying on nuclear power for much longer. “Even in peacetime, nuclear power plants pose an unacceptable risk with dire consequences, especially in densely populated areas such as Doyle and Tiang,” he says. Moreover, a possible extension will not weaken high energy prices, improve security of supply, and hardly reduce gas consumption.

Benjamin Clarice FanBond Beter Leefmilieu also sees the rest of the agreement as disappointing. How can we pretend that we want to reduce our dependence on Russian oil while maintaining such a beneficial tax system for company cars and fuel cards? There has to be a paradigm shift and we don’t see that in today’s decision.”

Citizens’ movements opposite And the Cessation of nuclear energy Say: “With nuclear power and fossil gas, the government chose both plague and cholera,” says Tegengas.

The Citizens’ Movement says it is determined not to succumb to the decision. “On the streets and in the courts, we will do everything we can to ban both nuclear energy and fossil gas from the dustbin of history as soon as possible.”

Cessation of nuclear power is also not pleased with the agreement reached. The most talked about argument for expanding the two smallest nuclear power plants is Europe’s dependence on Russian gas. However, betting on nuclear power does not offer a solution,” says Leo Tobacs of Stop Kernenergie.