Belgium faces 40 hours of power cuts next winter

Elia notes that 500 megawatts is still missing if electricity demands of the coming winter are to be met. If reactor 1 at Doel is back online there shouldn't be a problem. If this isn't the case Belgium faces a 10 hour power shortage during a mild winter and a 40 hour outage in the event of a harsh winter.

Belgium should be able to manage because energy needs have been overestimated, some power stations are not being closed as planned, fresh arrangements have been made with several producers and big industrial users and the life span of reactors 1 and 2 at Doel has been extended. Elia's Frank Vandenberghe believes that even in the event of a harsh winter, current energy capacity does not mean that the lights will go out for a full 40 hours and that a solution will be found.