The Doel Nuclear Power Station is one of the two nuclear power plants in Belgium. The plant lies on the bank of the Scheldt, near the village of Doel in the Flemish province of East Flanders. The Belgian energy corporation Electrabel is the plant's largest stakeholder. The plant employs 800 workers and covers an area of 80 hectares.

Reactors of Doel Nuclear Power Station

The plant consists of four second-generation pressurized water reactors with a total capacity of 2839 MWe, making it the second largest nuclear power plant in Belgium, after Nuclear Plant Tihange. Its four units are rated as follows:

  • Doel 1 : 392 MWe
  • Doel 2 : 433 MWe
  • Doel 3 : 1006 MWe
  • Doel 4 : 1008 MWe

Doel 1 and 2 came online in 1975, while Doel 3 and 4 came online in 1982 and 1985, respectively.

Cooling towers of Doel Nuclear Power Station

With a height of 176 meters, the two cooling towers are the most visible structure in the Port of Antwerp. Due to its proximity to the Dutch-Belgian border, the towers and the accompanying vapor can be seen in large parts of Dutch provinces of Zeeland and western North Brabant. Since 1995, one of the cooling towers has hosted a nest of peregrine falcons.


Powerlines

One of the outgoing powerlines crosses Schelde River in a remarkable manner, see Doel Schelde Powerline Crossing.

Doel Nuclear Power Station
Country Belgium
Locale Doel
Coordinates 51°19′29″N 04°15′31″E / 51.32472°N 4.25861°E / 51.32472; 4.25861 / 51.32472; 4.25861
Construction began 1969
Commission date 15 February 1975
Owner(s) Indivision Doel (EBES, INTERCOM, UNERG)
Operator(s) Electrabel M.V. Nucleaire Produktie

Reactor information
Reactors operational 1 x 392 MW
1 x 433 MW
1 x 1006 MW
1 x 1008 MW

Power generation information
Annual generation 21,670 GW·h
Net generation 515,257 GW·h