Belgium’s federal government is reportedly making little progress in negotiations with French energy company Engie regarding the takeover of Belgium’s nuclear power stations. It is questionable whether both parties will meet the 4 November deadline they had set themselves to reach an agreement.
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Belgian government “considering nationalisation of nuclear power stations”
Colin Clapson
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According to the newspapers De Tijd and L’Echo, the federal government is already preparing a Plan B: nationalisation. Draft legislation is reportedly ready to expropriate Engie in Belgium and compensate the company accordingly. The offices of Energy Minister Mathieu Bihet (Francophone liberal MR) and Prime Minister Bart De Wever (Flemish nationalist N-VA) declined to confirm this to VRT NEWS.
Since April the government and Engie have been negotiating over the takeover by the Belgian state of all Belgian nuclear power stations and the bill, running into billions, for their decommissioning. The fact that the possibility of nationalisation is now coming to light may well serve as an additional means of exerting pressure on the negotiations. Should it come to nationalisation, this would be a highly exceptional step for Belgium.