Belgium to use urgent procedure status for nuclear phase-out law
BRUSSELS, March 1 (Reuters) - Belgium's Chamber of Representatives has agreed to give the nuclear phase-out law an urgent procedure status, a spokesperson for Energy Minister Tinne van der Straeten said on Friday, confirming a report from Belga news agency.
This means that the energy committee could discuss Van der Straeten's bill as soon as March 12, the spokesperson added.
In December, Engie ENGIE.PA reached a deal on extending the operational life of the Doel 4 and Tihange 3 nuclear reactors.
Van der Straeten has said she hoped to complete the legislative process before the country's elections in June.
Tihange is a 1,038 megawatt (MW) reactor in eastern Belgium, while Doel is a 1,039 MW reactor near the port city of Antwerp. The reactors, which entered service in 1985, account for 35% of the country's nuclear energy capacity.
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Reporting by Charlotte Van Campenhout; editing by Jason Neely
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