Belgium is taking a further step in its energy strategy with the launch of a working group dedicated to Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). This initiative, led by Energy Minister Mathieu Bihet, forms part of the interfederal MAKE 2025-2030 plan and aims to strengthen the country's energy sovereignty and industrial competitiveness.
The federal Minister for Energy, Mathieu Bihet, officially launched this week the working group dedicated to Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), marking an important step in the implementation of the interfederal MAKE 2025-2030 plan.
This group brings together all stakeholders in the Belgian energy and industrial sector around a common goal: assessing the role SMRs could play in Belgium's future energy mix and in the country's industrial revival.
In the current geopolitical context, developing new local production capacity appears to be a key lever for addressing the challenges of competitiveness, sovereignty and strategic autonomy.
Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) indeed represent a promising technological avenue. More flexible and better suited to certain industrial uses, they could complement the existing nuclear fleet and contribute to the decarbonisation of the economy.
A bottom-up approach
The group's work will focus in particular on technological choices, capacity needs, grid integration, authorisation procedures, financing models and acceptability issues.
The approach aims to be pragmatic and inclusive, based on a “bottom-up” logic, with particular attention to industrial needs and the promotion of Belgian expertise.
This widely supported initiative forms part of a drive for innovation and cooperation between the different levels of government, strengthening Belgium's position in new-generation nuclear technologies in Europe.
The group's work and recommendations will feed into future strategic decisions in the field of energy.