Minister Blocks Tihange Cooling Tower Demolition

Walloon Minister for Territorial Affairs François Desquesnes has effectively frozen the destruction of the cooling towers at Belgium’s Tihange nuclear power plant, ruling that federal government approval is required before any dismantling work can proceed. The decision, announced on May 22, 2026, halts Engie’s plans to demolish the iconic towers of Tihange 1 and 2, injecting new uncertainty into Belgium’s already contentious nuclear energy transition.

Context

The ruling stems from an appeal filed by the City of Huy against a demolition permit granted to Engie on December 30, 2025. While confirming the permit’s validity on urban planning and environmental grounds, Minister Desquesnes added a suspensive condition that blocks all work until Belgium’s federal Ministers of Energy and Interior give their approval. As RTBF reported, the minister stated: “No work can begin, not even the slightest site installation for dismantling equipment, until federal authority gives the green light.”

The decision highlights Belgium’s complex federal structure, where regional authorities control urban planning and environmental permits while the federal government holds jurisdiction over nuclear energy. Minister Desquesnes described the permit as a “mixed file” where the two domains are “intimately linked.”

Key Developments

Six administrative appeals were filed against the demolition permit, including from WePlanet Belgium, the City of Huy, citizen group 100TWh, and two individuals. According to DHnet/Belga, only the City of Huy’s appeal carried suspensive effect, automatically freezing the permit during the review process.

The practical impact is immediate. Although Tihange 2 had already received federal authorization for dismantling and work had begun, it shares critical installations with Tihange 1, which now lacks the necessary federal clearance. This cascading freeze means both reactors’ cooling towers remain standing for the foreseeable future.

Engie had already paused all dismantling activities independently, pending the outcome of negotiations with the Belgian state over the potential nationalization of the country’s nuclear fleet. Those negotiations, governed by a letter of intent signed on April 30, 2026, face a deadline of October 1, 2026.

Analysis

The decision represents a significant strategic victory for the federal government’s pro-nuclear agenda. The Arizona coalition under Prime Minister Bart De Wever repealed Belgium’s nuclear phase-out law in May 2025 and is actively pursuing the extension of existing reactors — including the possible restart of Tihange 1, which was shut down in October 2025.

Christophe Collignon, the Socialist mayor of Huy, framed the ruling as an opportunity rather than a setback. As La Libre reported, Collignon argued that the appeal “actually allows the federal government, if it wishes, to extend Tihange 1, or even Tihange 2.” He emphasized the “extremely fundamental importance” of nuclear activity for the local economic fabric of the Huy region.

For Engie, the decision complicates an already difficult position. The company holds a valid permit and has contractual dismantling obligations, but finds itself blocked by the very government with which it is simultaneously negotiating the sale of its nuclear assets. Engie CEO Vincent Verbeke has previously described the restart of Tihange 1 as “unthinkable” due to safety and economic concerns.

What’s Next

The frozen demolition gives the federal government significant leverage as the October 1 deadline for nationalization negotiations approaches. With Engie unable to preemptively dismantle key infrastructure, the government has breathing room to complete the acquisition of the country’s nuclear fleet.

However, the decision also raises unresolved questions. If nationalization negotiations fail, the legal status of the demolition permit — and the fate of the cooling towers — will remain in limbo. Minister Desquesnes has strictly limited his ruling to regional competences, pushing the nuclear question firmly into the federal domain. The ball is now in the court of Energy Minister Mathieu Bihet and Interior Minister Bernard Quintin, whose response will determine whether Belgium’s nuclear cooling towers stand or fall.