The resumption of the Doel 4 reactor is not for now: Engie announces a postponement

Engie announces that the start-up, normally scheduled for November 30, has been postponed to December 6.

As part of the maintenance of Doel 4, damage was discovered this fall to the frames of the dome which is part of the exterior enclosure of the Antwerp unit. Further investigations were therefore necessary.

After analysis by the Federal Nuclear Control Agency (AFCN), this damage was classified as level 0 on the International Nuclear Event Scale (INES). “There is no risk to nuclear security“, the monitoring body reported on Monday.

However, according to the FANC, the investigations are still ongoing, which means that the reactor cannot yet be put back into service.

The government decided last year to keep the Doel 4 and Tihange 3 reactors in service for longer. While it was initially decided to close them in 2025, the reactors can continue to provide electricity until 2035. For this life extension, inspections took place at Doel.

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