Scrapping nuclear might not be answer

Published on 10 March 2011 at 12:01

Cover

“Belgium should not abandon nuclear power”: so sums up De Standaard on its front page the recommendation of the International Energy Agency (IEA) in a report on Belgium published March 9. According to this organisation founded by the OECD, “Belgium should reconsider leaving behind nuclear power”, especially since there is no “clear strategy that could meet the challenges of the future, such as energy security and global warming,” the IEA warns. In 2003 the Belgian government decided to close all its nuclear power plants before 2025; yet 55 percent of electricity and 20 percent of the energy consumed in Belgium comes from these plants, reports Le Soir, maintaining that abandoning nuclear power “would exacerbate the imbalance in capacity, which could drive up [electricity] prices”. De Standaard adds that, according to the IEA, “the effectiveness of [Belgian energy] policy is hindered by the overlap of responsibilities between the federal and regional governments”, which is why, the newspaper believes, policymakers should “abandon the ideological discussions” on energy and finally put in place enduring measures.

Tags

Was this article useful? If so we are delighted!

It is freely available because we believe that the right to free and independent information is essential for democracy. But this right is not guaranteed forever, and independence comes at a cost. We need your support in order to continue publishing independent, multilingual news for all Europeans.

Discover our subscription offers and their exclusive benefits and become a member of our community now!

Are you a news organisation, a business, an association or a foundation? Check out our bespoke editorial and translation services.

Support independent European journalism

European democracy needs independent media. Join our community!

On the same topic