Energy giant Engie still wants to build gas plant in Vilvoorde

Next to keeping the two nuclear plants open, energy company Engie is demanding guarantees to be able to build the gas plant in Vilvoorde if additional capacity is needed.

Prime Minister Alexander De Croo and Minister of Energy Tinne Van der Straeten have already had several meetings with the French energy giant Engie. According to Het Nieuwsbblad, the talks are focusing on three issues: timing, pricing and the Vilvoorde gas plant. The latter is remarkable because in itself it has nothing to do with the nuclear extension. 

After the Vilvoorde gas plant was denied a permit by Flemish Environment Minister Zuhal Demir last fall, a Luminus project in Seraing came into the picture, on the site of an existing gas plant. It was then decided Luminus, a subsidiary of the French government group EDF, would replace the Engie project in Vilvoorde. This was a serious financial hangover for Engie, as the Electrabel parent would have received an estimated 450 million subsidies over 15 years for Vilvoorde.

Engie now wants to compensate for that loss and is asking the federal government for permission to still build the gas plant if any energy shortages would take place. 

But the federal government has nothing to say about the Vilvoorde licence. Its the county that deals with these kinds of issues. On May 12, the Flemish-Brabant deputation will decide on it. But the De Croo government can promise Engie that it will provide state support for the extra gas plant once it is licensed. This can be done perfectly within the framework of a new auction that will be organised by this legislature.

© ​ BELGA PHOTO (ERIC LALMAND) Illustration shows the gas plant in Seraing. Luminus has won the contract for the construction of another gas power plant on the same site.