The looks of their latest energy invoice finally got the Belgian Captains of Industry out of their energy lethargy.
They now ask for Long-Term Operation (LTO) for KCD-4 and CNT-3, a.k.a. Doel-4 and Tihange-3.
In human language: they ask to keep the 2 youngest nuclear power plants running beyond their designed operating life time of 40 years.
However, the situation should be clear on this.
1) The government has the authority to close the Belgian Nuclear Power plants, as they own the Regulatory Body.
2) The government however cannot decide to keep the plants running, because they are owned by 2 (!) French companies, one of which claims LTO to be impossible. That is: under the current regulations, but the price and the modalities are obviously open to negociation.
The most viable strategic plan looks like this:
1) Set up a new cooperative energy company for the national market. This ought to be not a government initiative.
2) Allow the public to participate on a large scale and in small share tranches.
3) Purchase all 7 Belgian Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) from Engie for EUR 1.00 each. They are after all amortised in the Engie minds.
4) Make a solid business plan without any government funding.
5) Force a license to sell nuclear electricity at a price determined by the all-in nuclear production cost plus a fair markup, if need be without European consent.
6) Re-hire all personnel to modernise the plants and run them safely for as long as it takes to design and build a fleet of brand new Gen-V plants.
7) Re-evaluate the vessel status of KCD-3 and CNT-2 and make a firm decision on their future. If they are not degrading, they are safe.
8) Use a sufficient part of the margin to provide for spent fuel storage and conditioning, in view of future re-use of the spent fuel in Gen-V MSR reactors. Do not put spent fuel in geological disposal facilities.
9) Do not declare spent fuel as nuclear waste.
Brigid’s strategic future plan:
1) In due time, all NPPs will have to shut down. The above survival plan buys time for Brigid to develop.
2) Brigid does not rely on an ill-defined mixture of energy solutions. It offers a concise plan.
3) Brigid does not require a smart grid, nor does it require the destruction of the methane gas distribution system or the home appliances, or even automotive applications.