Belgium's Nuclear Research Centre and the national nuclear regulator have announced the start of a formal preliminary consultation on an innovative small modular reactor using lead-cooled technology.

The first container has been filled with long-lived low- and intermediate-level waste from the used fuel pools of unit 3 at Belgium's Doel nuclear power plant, which was shut down in September 2022 and is now being decommissioned.

The Belgian government and French utility Engie have closed the agreement covering the extension of the operation of the Tihange 3 and Doel 4 nuclear power reactors by 10 years and on all obligations related to radioactive waste.

The European Commission has concluded its in-depth investigation and approved revised plans for Belgium's proposed financing of the lifetime extensions of Doel 4 and Tihange 3 nuclear power units.

Unit 1 of the Doel nuclear power plant has been taken offline for the final time after 50 years of operation and disconnected from the grid. Its closure is in line with Belgium's 2003 nuclear phase-out policy, under which two other reactors have already been shut down.

A new European research project, named EU-CONVERSION, has been launched with the aim of accelerating the conversion of high-performance research reactors by testing candidate low-enriched uranium fissile materials.

Belgium's new coalition government has announced plans to continue operating two of the country's reactors for an additional 10 years beyond the 10-year extension already agreed - and said it aims to construct new reactors.

The European Commission has opened an in-depth investigation into whether the support for the lifetime extension of two of Belgium's nuclear power reactors is in line with its rules on acceptable state aid.

A groundbreaking ceremony has been held at the Minerva particle accelerator construction site in Mol, Belgium, marking the start of the first of three phases of the development of the Myrrha accelerator-driven research reactor.