MR chairman Georges-Louis Bouchez opposes the construction of new gas-fired power stations to ensure energy supplies. “Gas is bad for the planet and increases dependence on Russia,” he told Villa Politica on One today.
The federal government will meet tomorrow about the nuclear exit, with the intention of making the final decision now. At the end of last year it seemed that all nuclear power plants would close by the end of 2025, but the war in Ukraine has decided otherwise. Groen, the party of Energy Minister Tinne Van der Straeten, now also appears to be open to extending the life of the two youngest reactors, although replacement capacity in the form of gas-fired power stations would still be needed.
Even more nuclear power plants
For Georges-Louis Bouchez, the chairman of the ruling party MR who has been opposing the complete nuclear phase-out since before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, this does not go far enough and the government must consider whether more nuclear power plants can remain open. He dismisses the argument that that would not be safe: the minister simply never had it investigated, he said in Villa Politica. “There is no report on it, we only have the opinion of Van der Straeten and (Green Chairwoman, ed.) Almaci.”
Bouchez also opposes the construction of new gas-fired power stations, referring to a report by the federal energy regulator CREG. Who “warns against gas-fired power stations, but we would still build one?”, it sounded. “It seems that the Minister of Energy spends more time creating problems than looking for solutions to security of supply.”
The federal council of ministers will meet tomorrow morning, followed by a meeting of the core cabinet. Bouchez wants the government to reach a “reasonable and responsible” deal “at the latest during the weekend”. “One has to stop with the nonsense.”
Reaction Almaci
Green chairwoman Almaci reacts sharply to Bouchez’s sortie. “Class can’t be bought,” she tweeted. “And apparently the memory is also very short at the MR. Her prime minister and minister (Charles Michel and Marie Christine Marghem, ed.) fervently campaigned for the closure of all nuclear capacity and for 9 (!) gas-fired power stations. Unfortunately, no scenario was realized. prepared. This government is cleaning it up under the leadership of Groen.”
Groen wants to free up 8 billion in three years for energy transition: “No short-term solution” (+)
Nobody believes that the youngest nuclear plants are closing anymore: “Putin has decided on nuclear exit in our place” (+)
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