Federal Energy Minister Tinne Van der Straeten (Groen) wants the French group Engie, the operator of the Belgian nuclear fleet, to pay the state the excess profits made in the context of soaring electricity prices, writes Le Soir on Tuesday. It asked the National Bank of Belgium (BNB) to propose a solution to it in order to set up this form of “crisis contribution”.
Contacted by the daily, the minister’s office indicates that the “exceptional period” current “requires exceptional measures and efforts”. Engie is currently subject to a “nuclear tax” which amounts to 38% of the profit margin for the four most recent reactors. This is expected to increase sharply due to the explosion in electricity prices (between 530 and 680 million euros in 2023, according to the Electricity and Gas Regulatory Commission) but this amount is not sufficient in the eyes of Tinne Van der Straeten, explains Le Soir.