The nuclear power plants and safety
Safety is the number one priority in the Belgian nuclear power plants. Find out the many ways in which Electrabel and its partners ensure nuclear safety. The nuclear power plants are also highly secure. You can't just wander in!
How safe is nuclear power?
A strong basic design
Like most American and European reactors, those of Doel and Tihange are of the type ‘Pressurized Water Reactor’ (PWR). These reactors with water under pressure are among the safest in the world.
Strict controls
The safety of the Belgian nuclear power plants is strictly monitored by a number of independent bodies.
Safety above production
Safety is the number one priority for our teams. Every day they work to the highest standards and the strictest international and national regulations. At the slightest uncertainty, the plant is stopped and to perform analyses and inspections until we are sure it is 100% safe to restart the plant. The average availability of Belgian nuclear power plants from 2000 to 2021 is 85%. This is in line with international averages.
The different pillars of nuclear safety
Nuclear safety is anchored in some basic principles and very strict regulations. A special design, a strong safety culture and frequent quality checks ensure the safe operation of the power stations in Doel and Tihange.
Learning from experience
‘Operating experience management’ is a well-known term in the nuclear sector, where information about experiences and events is shared with all operators worldwide.
No accidents in Belgium
Electrabel has operated nuclear power plants for over 50 years and without accidents that impacted the safety of its staff, neighbors or the environment.
The Belgian nuclear emergency plan
For Electrabel, safety is the number one priority. This means not only avoiding incidents, but also being prepared for unforeseen events.
Continuous investment
The Belgian nuclear power plants are in excellent shape and meet the latest international standards.
Chernobyl
The popular TV series Chernobyl makes people wonder whether a similar nuclear accident can also occur in Belgium. That is not the case. The Belgian nuclear power plants are much safer in terms of design, the procedures are audited more stringently and there is much more independent supervision and transparency. Through intensive training and coaching, the staff of our nuclear power plant are made aware of their responsibility and the importance of their professionalism.
All this does not take away the fact that all staff of the power stations are aware of the responsibility they bear and how important their professionalism is. They are therefore also intensively trained and coached.
All this does not take away the fact that all staff of the power stations are aware of the responsibility they bear and how important their professionalism is. They are therefore also intensively trained and coached.
The INES scale
The INES scale (International Nuclear Event Scale) was created after the accidents of Three Mile Island (1979) and Chernobyl (1986). These two events made it clear how difficult it was for the nuclear sector to correctly communicate the seriousness of incidents and accidents to the press and the general public. There was an urgent need for a reference scale for nuclear incidents or accidents.
Security
Anyone wishing to gain access to a nuclear power plant in Belgium must submit an application to the Federal Agency for Nuclear Control (FANC) and the National Safety Authority. Without valid screening with a favorable result, you will not be granted access, not even as a staff member or external employee.
The stress tests in Belgium
After an undersea earthquake and the subsequent tsunami in 2011 with serious damage to the Fukushima nuclear power plant, Europe decided to subject all nuclear power plants to resistance tests or ‘stress tests’. These tests were intended to assess the safety margins of nuclear power plants in extreme circumstances.
Doel 4: refurbishment of the steam turbine
On 5 August 2014, the steam turbine of Doel 4 was seriously damaged after a loss of lubrication in the non-nuclear part of the power station. The turbine seized due to the decreasing oil pressure. The power station was shut down automatically – and fully in line with the safety procedures.
Hydrogen inclusions
During a major overhaul of the Doel 3 power station in 2012, due to the application of a more extensive ultrasonic measurement technique, contamination in the reactor vessel was discovered, and later also in the vessel of Tihange 2. Electrabel then itself decided, as a professional and responsible operator, to stop the power stations and take the time to analyse the situation thoroughly.