The Tihange 1 nuclear reactor unexpectedly shut down on Monday morning.
Olivier Desclée, spokesperson for operator Engie, confirmed that a faulty circulation pump caused the outage. This pump is located in the non-nuclear part of the reactor. The cause of the pump’s failure is currently under investigation.
Engie has assured there is no risk to people or the environment. The company also stated that supply security is guaranteed, as nuclear plants in France are operating at full capacity, ensuring Europe’s electricity supply.
The sudden shutdown of Tihange 1 has caused imbalance prices in the wholesale electricity market to spike to €2,450 per megawatt-hour. These prices reflect the cost of correcting the market imbalance.
Elia, the high-voltage grid operator, reported that supply security is currently under control. "We are monitoring the situation closely and remain vigilant," said Elia spokesperson Marie-Laure Vanwanseele.
Demand for electricity is high due to cold weather, while wind and solar power generation is minimal. The unexpected shutdown of Tihange 1 has resulted in a loss of 1,000 megawatts of capacity.
