Creator: Goya Bauwens. This image is licensed under Creative Commons License.

The Belgian nuclear power plants Doel and Tihange are known beyond Belgian borders. In particular Doel 3 and Tihange 2, the two reactors that started operation in the early 80s, have reached a dubious distinction across Europe. The responsible authority, the Federal Agency for Nuclear Control (FANC), shut these two reactors down in 2012 because of serious safety concerns after the operators discovered thousands of flaw indications in the steel walls of the reactor pressure vessels.
Despite the non-conclusive results of the following investigations and tests, both reactors received the green light to be restarted end of 2015. At the same time, the government decided to extend the lifespan for the reactors Doel 1 and 2 until 2025 - supposed end date for Belgian nuclear power usage - without a public consultation or a new environmental impact assessment. Not only in Belgium, but also in neighbouring countries such as the Netherlands and Germany, these decisions were criticised.
Almost 5, respectively 30, years after the Fukushima and Chernobyl nuclear catastrophes, this breakfast debate aims at shedding a light at the current situation in Belgium after the repeated shutdown of nuclear power plants, as well as discussing the Belgian nuclear policy with Dutch and German neighbours who are equally concerned.

Date                  Thursday, 3 March 2016, 08:00 - 10:00 a.m.
                         

Venue                Representation of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW)
                           Rue Montoyer 47
                           Brussels

Speakers (conference language English)

• Simone Peter, Co-Chair, Alliance '90/The Greens, Germany
• Jean-François Lerouge, Cabinet of Marie-Christine Marghem, Minister for Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development Belgium (tbc)
• Peter Knitsch, Secretary of State, Ministry for Climate Protection, Environment, Agriculture, Conservation and Consumer Protection of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia (MKULNV)
• Gerdo van Grootheest, Deputy Mayor of Maastricht (tbc)
• Peer de Rijck, WISE Netherlands

Programme, Thursday 3 March 2016

8:00 Arrival and registration, coffee and breakfast
8:30 Welcome (Rainer Steffens, Director NRW Representation; Klaus Linsenmeier, Director hbs EU Office)
8:35 Introduction (Moderator, Kathrin Glastra, Director European Energy Transition, hbs EU Office)
8:45 Interventions from panellists
9:15 Debate with the audience
10:00 End of debate
 
Please register by email to kathrin.glastra@eu.boell.org before 1st March 2016. No attendance without confirmed registration.