Nuclear plant incident
A nuclear power plant uses nuclear substances and other fissile elements as fuel to produce steam and generate electricity. This process also generates nuclear residues. If there is an incident at a nuclear power plant, heat and pressure can build up. Steam containing radioactive agents can then escape from the plant.
Belgium has two nuclear power plants: Doel and Tihange (ENGIE Electrabel). There are two other power plants close to our borders, at Borssele (Netherlands) and Chooz (France). In addition, there are 4 other nuclear sites: SCK CEN, Belgoprocess in Mol-Dessel, the Institut National des Radioéléments (IRE) in Fleurus and the Joint Research Center (JRC) in Geel. If there is an incident at one of these sites, the same reflexes must be taken. All information is available at https://nuclearrisk.be/en
Risks and causes
Consequences
What can you do?
BEFORE
- Find out in advance if you live in a nuclear emergency planning zone.
- Sign up to BE-Alert. That way, you will be immediately informed in the event of an emergency.
- Keep iodine tablets at home. They are distributed for free in pharmacies. Never take them on your own initiative.
DURING
- Taking shelter is the best way to protect yourself.
- Get inside and stay there. Take cover in the nearest building. Stay inside until you are informed that it is safe to leave.
- Close doors and windows and disconnect ventilation systems. Ideally find a place in a central room on the ground floor. Walls and ceilings offer better protection than windows.
- Follow the recommendations of the authorities. Find out about the right measures to take via radio, television, official websites and social networks.
- Keep your children at school. They will follow the same recommendations.
- Do you have to evacuate? Follow the instructions of the emergency services. Never evacuate on your own initiative.
- Wait for instructions from the authorities before taking iodine tablets. Never do it on your own initiative.
AFTER
- Additional medical advice may be communicated. Listen to the media and follow the official channels to get all the information.
- A nuclear accident may have an impact on drinking water and food, such as agriculture, livestock or garden vegetables. Follow the instructions of the authorities.
Impact and probability
The figures relating to probability and impact describe a considerable incident at a nuclear power plant. The BNRA theoretically describes such a scenario as follows:
- Damage to the fuel in a nuclear power plant results in partial core meltdown. The containment systems fail. A large quantity of unfiltered radioactive substances is released.
- The radioactive substances are only released 24 hours or several days after the incident, and for a significant length of time.
- There is little wind and no rain. The radioactive substances only spread locally.
How should you interpret these results?
Within the BNRA, experts assessed three scenarios for each risk: considerable, major or extreme. On each page, you will find the results of the scenario with the highest score based on the combination of likelihood and impact. This does not mean that this scenario will occur or is the most likely. Read more here about how to correctly interpret the results.
Probability
Very weak
Human impact
Strong
Societal impact
Moderate
Environmental impact
Moderate
Financial impact
Moderate
What do the authorities do?
In Belgium, the Federal Agency for Nuclear Control (FANC) closely monitors the safety of nuclear sites.
- Strict safety regulations apply to every nuclear facility. Safety inspections and audits are regularly carried out. The FANC imposes the necessary measures on facilities, up to and including decommissioning, if these rules are not applied.
- 254 measuring stations throughout Belgium monitor radioactivity in the air and in river water. If these measuring stations identify any anomalies, they immediately send an alert to the FANC experts.
Since 1991, Belgium has had a national emergency plan in place for managing nuclear and radiological emergencies. This emergency plan sets out the emergency planning zones for each nuclear site. These are zones where the emergency services, municipalities, governors and the National Crisis Center make additional preparations to protect residents. For the sites at Doel (BE), Tihange (BE), Mol-Dessel (BE), Borssele (NL) and Chooz (FR), the zone covers a radius of 20 kilometres. For the Institute at Fleurus (BE), the zone covers a 10-kilometre radius around the site.
In the event of a nuclear accident, the National Crisis Center triggers the National Nuclear and Radiological Emergency Plan.