Deteriorating safety culture at Doel and Tihange nuclear power plants

24.11.2016

Question for written answer E-008791-16
to the Commission
Rule 130
Esther de Lange (PPE) , Pascal Arimont (PPE) , Jeroen Lenaers (PPE) , Claude Rolin (PPE) , Sabine Verheyen (PPE)

On Monday, 21 November 2016, an article was published in the Belgian newspaper La Libre[1] quoting two letters from Jan Bens, director of FANC, to the management of Engie Electrabel, the operator of the nuclear power plants at Tihange and Doel. In the letters, Bens expresses his dissatisfaction at the inadequate fire safety, the risk of a core meltdown and other aspects of the safety culture at the power plants.

1. Is the Commission aware of the article in La Libre which refers to two letters from Jan Bens to the operators of the nuclear power plants at Tihange and Doel, and does the Commission share the concern expressed by the director of FANC, Jan Bens, in his letters?

2. Will the Commission raise the issue of the deteriorating safety culture at the two nuclear power plants with the Belgian Government, and if so, could the Commission persuade the government to do everything within its power to guarantee safety at the power plants?

3. In view of the cross-border nature and the scale of a possible meltdown, will the Commission seek the adoption at EU level of uniform, binding safety standards for nuclear power plants and the establishment of a European supervisory authority for nuclear safety?

• [1] http://www.lalibre.be/actu/belgique/surete-nucleaire-deux-lettres-accablantes-et-alarmantes-destinees-a-electrabel-582f70d6cd70735194a3ed84