The operator of the Tihange 1 nuclear reactor has ruled out extending its operations, as confirmed by the site director Antoine Assice on Monday.
On Tuesday evening, Tihange 1 will be permanently disconnected from the energy grid after fifty years of service. It is the fourth reactor to be dismantled, following Doel 3, Tihange 2, and Doel 1. Doel 2 is scheduled to follow by the end of November, while Doel 4 and Tihange 3 will remain operational until 2035.
Although the government had expressed hope to extend Tihange 1’s lifespan, Engie Electrabel, the company operating the plant, firmly ruled out that option during a press briefing on Monday.
The reactor’s director explained that the decision was based on three significant barriers: Firstly, the necessary preparatory work should have started five years ago. Secondly, a prolonged operation would hinder the dismantling of Tihange 3, which is already underway. Lastly, the financial costs involved would be prohibitive.
Dismantling efforts at Tihange 1 are set to begin soon. Initial steps will involve removing the reactor’s fuel, cleaning the circuits to minimise residual radioactivity, and dismantling non-nuclear structures like the cooling tower and machinery hall.
Two new facilities will be constructed where Tihange 1 and Tihange 2 now stand: one to store spent fuel and another to process radioactive waste. The entire dismantling process is expected to take around fifteen years.
Assice clarified that no significant actions would occur before the end of the year. However, this does not suggest any reconsideration of the reactor’s shutdown.
"We are focused on the dismantling, which involves thousands of planned actions executed in strict alignment with our strategy and the agreement reached with the government. There will be no extension of this or any other nuclear unit," he said.
Despite the scale of the work, the dismantling process is deemed routine within the nuclear sector. Assice emphasised that careful preparation is integral to the safety and success of such operations, which will involve both in-house professionals and external contractors.
In terms of employment, every one of the roughly 100 workers currently assigned to Tihange 1 has been offered new opportunities. Options include participating in the dismantling efforts, transitioning to Tihange 3, or moving to other maintenance services, Assice confirmed.
