Government measures minimise risk of power cuts

The country faces a real risk of electricity shortages this winter as a result of three nuclear power plants being out of action, but the risk is minimised by measures the government has taken over the last few years, according to federal energy minister Catherine Fonck (pictured). She was appearing in front of the federal parliament’s joint interior and business committees last week.

Two of the reactors, at Doel 3 in Beveren in East Flanders and at Tihange 2 in Wallonia, have been out of service for months, since material defects were discovered in the reactor casings. The third, Doel 4, was closed down at the beginning of August after oil leaked into the steam turbine in what appears to have been an act of sabotage.

The stoppage at Doel 4, Fonck said, led to a “political game”, with stories in the media and announcements from politicians that as many as half the municipalities in the country could be facing power cuts this winter, due to the government uncoupling some areas in the evening to reduce peak demand on the network.

“The real risk is reduced because the government for the first time made provision for additional measures to guarantee the security of the energy supply,” Fonck told the committee. “There is no need for panic.” Those additional measures include plans for the import of energy, the creation of a strategic reserve and the uncoupling plan, which would be predictable and manageable. According to the plan, the public in the affected areas would be alerted by radio, TV and newspapers that their power was to be switched off, allowing them time to prepare.

Fonck rejected an idea mentioned by departing economy minister Johan Vande Lanotte last week that involved laying a cable to connect to the Dutch gas power station at Maasbracht (photo). “Laying 15 kilometres of cable at top speed from the Maasbracht station to this country would be a solution of genius,” she said. “Unfortunately it’s not quite as simple as that.”