The French-speaking Brussels court of first instance on Thursday announced a timetable for hearings in a case brought by the 100TWh citizens’ movement against the decommissioning of Doel 3 and Tihange 2 nuclear reactors.
The court has set aside 20 December for the submission of conclusions by the Belgian State, Engie energy utility, electricity system operator Elia, and the Federal Agency for Nuclear Control, while the submissions by 100TWh have been set for 23 January 2023.
Following additional submissions on 1 March, two more hearings will be programmed between mid-March and mid-April.
“As the submissions will take place quite late, we have decided to write to the State of Belgium and Engie to inform them that any irreversible action taken before the verdict will be their responsibility, especially if it would prevent the restarting of Doel 3 or Tihange 2,” said 100TWh spokesman Henri Marenne.
The 100TWh group, backed by some 20 citizens, initiated legal action on 16 September to show that the calculations on which the government based its assessment of the security of Belgium’s electricity supply were far too optimistic. Keeping the nuclear plants in operation is thus essential in order to guarantee the country's energy supply, the citizens' group maintains.
As a result, 110TWh is asking the authorities to review the nuclear phase-out schedule and resume operations as soon as possible at the plants due for closure this winter, namely Doel 3 and Tihange 2.
