Belgium has once again missed the deadline in negotiations with energy giant Engie regarding the potential acquisition of the 7 nuclear power plants located in Belgium.

Both parties have agreed to give themselves more time. This is already the second time the deadline has been postponed. The deadline for the negotiations has now been moved to December 12.

The De Wever government has clearly stated its intention to keep the reactors that can still be operated running for longer and to invest in the restructuring of Belgium’s nuclear sector.

The Prime Minister is also keeping the option open to take over the power plants – if necessary, through forced nationalization – and to set a compensation price himself, should Engie adopt a hardline or unreasonable stance.

Meanwhile, environmental economists are warning that keeping the nuclear power plants open longer will come at a high cost.

Government crisis

Because the Prime Minister has submitted his resignation to the king – who is considering it and will announce a decision on Friday – several previously set deadlines for certain government issues are now at risk, such as the one regarding the takeover of the nuclear power plants in Belgium operated by the French energy company Engie.

The fact that both sides are now giving themselves up to an additional month naturally indicates just how complex these negotiations are, but also that they have, in fact, reached an impasse – why else would De Wever resort to the extreme leverage of nationalization? Although that sounds entirely different in a joint press release.

“The in-depth discussions that have taken place between Engie and the Belgian government over the past few months have, in fact, led to progress and a better mutual understanding of the interests at stake,” the parties involved state.

“However, significant differences of opinion remain, including regarding the valuation of the transaction, and the parties wish to take the necessary time to try to bring their positions closer together.”

No rush for Engie

The government is negotiating with Engie regarding the price of all nuclear operations carried out by Engie and its subsidiary Electrabel, including all 7 nuclear power plants, expertise (i.e., personnel), and the terms – including who will bear the billions on costs associated with decommissioning and nuclear waste.

The fact that Engie wants to divest itself of its nuclear fleet and had already begun decommissioning the oldest nuclear reactors also means that the French company has little to lose if a deal is not reached.

At the government’s request, decommissioning activities were halted, and the state is compensating Engie for costs already incurred during the negotiation period. The longer it takes, the longer this situation will persist.

In other words, Engie is in no rush, and it is now well known that it takes a hard line in negotiations – negotiations over the 2 remaining nuclear power plants, Doel 4 and Tihange 3, which have been generating electricity again for several weeks – were also very difficult.

Lack of flexibility with nuclear power plants

Although the high-voltage grid operator Elia states that the security of electricity supply for the 2027-2028 supply year is fully guaranteed, this does not mean nuclear power plants are unnecessary.

The agreements regarding Doel 4 and Tihange 3 expire in 2035, and to ensure independence from gas subsidies and imports – as well as price stability – the De Wever government wants to take control of the nuclear power plants, keep them operating longer, and also invest in small modular reactors (SMRs).

However, several environmental economists have long warned against a full takeover of Belgium’s nuclear power plants – and not just because of the substantial cost involved.

Professor Johan Albrecht (UGent), for example, pointed out in the newspaper De Standaard that there are many applications for battery farms and that the permitting process can therefore take a long time.

Furthermore, you need a flexible supply to respond easily to a sudden spike in electricity demand, and current nuclear power plants are not flexible. According to him, it would also be better to convince Engie to support an additional life extension for the 2 newest reactors, Doel 4 and Tihange 3.

No nuclear boom

The World Nuclear Industry Status Report (WNISR) also points out that nuclear energy’s share of global electricity generation has now fallen to 9%. According to the 2025 report, there is no evidence of a strong global construction boom, precisely because building new power plants is expensive and time-consuming, whereas solar, wind, and battery storage are growing faster and more cost-effectively.

If the number of nuclear power plants continues to grow, uranium reserves could also be depleted by the 2080s.

The International Energy Agency in Paris, on the other hand, describes nuclear energy as an important part of the energy transition, but not the main component.

In “Electricity 2026”, the IEA reports that nuclear energy reached a record high of 2,850 TWh in 2025 and could grow to 3,279 TWh by 2030. Together with renewable energy, nuclear energy is projected to supply about half of all electricity by 2030, up from 42% today.

Those who are more skeptical of nuclear energy feel that the IEA is too optimistic, precisely because the agency overestimates nuclear energy’s potential and underestimates the role of renewable energy. What is striking, however, is that in 2025, solar power generated more electricity than nuclear power for the first time.