The Mouvement Reformateur (MR) group in the federal Parliament lashed out on Friday against "unacceptable comments" made by Engie Belgium CEO Vincent Verbeke.
Verbeke had asserted on Friday that negotiators of the new federal government could draw a line through their plans to extend additional nuclear reactors or keep Doel 4 and Tihange 3 operational for another 20 years. This is “unthinkable today,” he said.
The Liberals, who are involved in the ongoing negotiations on a new governing coalition, reacted that it is up to the federal government to define the country’s energy future, not a company with a monopoly driven by its strategic interests.
According to MR parliamentarian Mathieu Bihet, it is “inconceivable for a company like Engie, historically a nuclear-energy partner in Belgium, to dismiss political decisions made in the interest of our citizens and our country’s energy independence.
"These statements show a lack of responsibility, especially in a global context where energy autonomy is more crucial than ever,” the Liberal legislator added.
The MR stressed that the future majority partners had received a clear mandate from voters and firmly supported reviving nuclear energy.
Relying solely on renewable energies and the “flexibility” proposed by Engie will not address the urgent need for a continuous and stable energy supply, especially given the risk of shortages, Bihet said in a statement.
“We cannot accept that a monopolistic entity attempts to limit the energy ambitions of a sovereign state under the guise of strategic choices," he emphasized. "Belgium’s energy future is decided in Parliament, not in Engie’s boardrooms.”
