BRUSSELS (Sputnik) – The Doel 3 north of Antwerp in northern Belgium was taken offline due to a hot water leak in its non-nuclear section’s steam generator, according to Electrabel.
The reactor remained shut for 21 months after thousands of paper-thin cracks have been discovered on its steel surface. It was restarted on Monday after numerous tests.
Two of Doel's 40-year-old reactors were planned to be decommissioned in 2015, but the Belgian government has extended their service into 2025. Environmental activists and regional authorities in neighboring Germany have expressed opposition to the move.
Electrabel did not disclose how long it would take to repair and restart Doel 3.
