The federal government has concluded a budget agreement that significantly strengthens Belgium's energy strategy. This agreement both reduces households' electricity bills, supports the competitiveness of large companies, and guarantees the safety and responsibility of nuclear activities in our country.
Strengthening nuclear safety and fully owning our choices
The budget provides for increased funding for ONDRAF, the body responsible for the safe management of all radioactive waste in Belgium. In recent years, this funding was not aligned with actual needs. We are putting the system back on track to ensure adequate and sustainable coverage of these obligations.
Concretely, the State is bringing historical commitments back up to standard, as they had not been sufficiently funded. This is therefore not a postponement but a necessary correction compared to the previous government, to secure the funding for waste decommissioning and thereby guarantee, in complete safety, a sustainable environment.
The RECUMO project, essential for recycling spent fissile materials from the IRE (National Institute for Radioelements), is also being adjusted. Following the tripling of processing and conditioning costs in France, the initial option was no longer viable. The chosen alternative is based on conditioning at the SCK CEN (Nuclear Research Centre) site, compatible with an operational start in October 2028. This choice guarantees the continuation of the project in Belgium, while fully meeting safety requirements.
In addition, extra resources are being allocated to the IRE to strengthen nuclear security and safety at its sites and to ensure compliance with current regulations.
Mathieu Bihet, Minister of Energy: “This budget addresses two priorities: protecting purchasing power and strengthening the country's energy security. The reduction in excise duties will lower households' electricity bills while supporting the transition. The new energy standard will, in turn, offer our businesses a more stable and competitive framework. We are also fully owning our choice in favour of nuclear power, putting order back into the funding of liabilities, strengthening the safety of sites, and securing the future of strategic projects such as RECUMO. That is good governance: saying what you do, funding what you decide, and preparing Belgium's energy future.”
Concrete measures for purchasing power and competitiveness
Implementation of the energy standard
For businesses, the budget increases the resources allocated to the energy standard, which aims to guarantee a more stable and competitive framework for our industry.
These additional resources will come from funds available at Fluxys Belgium, through existing regulatory mechanisms, the details of which are currently being finalised. They will thus serve to reduce the electricity bills of exposed Belgian companies, as part of the decarbonisation of our economy.
Supporting the transition: a strengthened administration
Finally, the Directorate-General for Energy, and in particular the offshore department, will be strengthened to meet the considerable challenges of this term of government. Energy autonomy and the effective implementation of policies require a solid administration with adequate human and technical resources.
“This budget agreement marks a decisive step towards safer, more affordable and more sovereign energy. It reflects clear choices: protecting citizens, supporting our businesses, and fully taking on nuclear responsibility and the country's energy transition. And above all, it very concretely implements the government agreement: we are following through on the commitments we made. We said it, we're doing it”, concludes Minister Mathieu Bihet.