Belgium to fund development of advanced small modular nuclear reactors

The Belgian government has announced that it will provide funding of €100-million for research into advanced small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs). The money will be given to the country’s SCK-CEN nuclear research centre in tranches of €25-million a year, over four years. The announcement was made at a function marking the 70th anniversary of the SCK-CEN. “In addition to the substantial progress of renewable energy, the government has also decided to study other technologies which could make a contribution by 2050,” explained Belgian Energy Minister Tinne van der Straeten, speaking at the event. “This [funding] should allow [us] to verify whether sustainable nuclear energy is technically feasible. The researchers of SCK-CEN belong to the absolute world best and are now looking for major breakthroughs in both the technological field and in the field of passive safety, non-proliferation, minimisation of long-lived waste and economic feasibility.”