From Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage
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Each planning authority in Ireland has recently received a copy of correspondence from the Belgian Ministry of Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development to the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH) relating to a proposed 10 year extension to the operational life of the Doel 1 & 2 nuclear power plants, located near the Port of Antwerp in Belgium.
Under the terms of the 1991 United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context (the Espoo Convention), and Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (the Aarhus Convention), Member States are required to engage in transboundary public consultation in respect of projects likely to have significant effects on the environment of neighbouring States as part of the environmental impact assessment of a proposed development. For this purpose, the Member State in whose territory the project is intended to be carried out is required to send to the affected State, no later than when informing its own public, a description of the project and any relevant information on its possible transboundary impact.
The Doel nuclear power plants are located near the Port of Antwerp in Belgium and are owned and operated by ENGIE Electrabel. Units 1 & 2 at Doel began operation in 1975. Belgium adopted a policy aimed at phasing out the use of nuclear energy for electricity generation and in this regard, a law passed in 2003 that stipulated that nuclear power plants would be deactivated 40 years after their industrial commissioning.
This meant that Doel 1 & 2 were scheduled to cease operations in 2015. However, the 2003 law provided for a decree to issue to allow NPPs to remain operational in the event of a threat to security of electricity supply. In 2015, a Federal law passed extending the life time operation of the Doel 1 & 2 NPPs by 10 years, requiring deactivation in 2025.
An environmental Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) challenged the 2015 law that granted an extension to the operational life of the Doel 1 & 2 NPPs in the Constitutional Courts of Belgium. The Constitutional Court in turn, referred to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) for a preliminary ruling (Case C-411/17). In summary, the outcome of that case, is that the decision to extend the life time operation of the NPPs constitutes a ‘project’ within the meaning of the EIA Directive, therefore an environmental impact assessment is required along with the associated transboundary consultations.
For practical reasons, Belgian authorities decided to prepare two separate Environmental Impact Reports (EIRs), but have advised that they will need to be evaluated in conjunction. One EIR relates solely to the decision to extend the operational life of Doel 1 & 2. The second EIR concerns the nuclear safety-related improvement works that includes the construction of three new buildings on the site:
The correspondence from the Belgian Ministry of Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development can be accessed in the “Documents” section below, together with the documents provided for the purposes of the transboundary consultation. A printed copy of these documents will be available for public inspection during office hours in each local authority office from Wednesday 28 April 2021. However, due to the effects of COVID19 inspection of these documents may be by appointment only. It is advised that contact is made with your local authority prior to travelling to view the documentation, in order to clarify if you need to make an appointment. A copy may be purchased from the authority at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of copying.
A submission or observation in relation to the potential transboundary environmental effects of the development may be made in writing or by e-mail to the Planning Section in the planning authority for the area in which the person lives or the head office of the body concerned is located (see contact details for each planning authority at the bottom of this page). All submissions or observations must –
1. be titled “Transboundary environmental public consultation – Doel 1 & 2 Nuclear Power Plants”,
2. include the name and address of the person, authority or body making the submission or observations and the name of the person, if any, acting on behalf of that person, authority or body, and;
3. include reasons, considerations and arguments on which the submission or observations is based.
Please also refer to “Terms and Conditions” and “What will we do with your submissions or observations” below.
The deadline for the receipt of written submissions or observations by the planning authority under this transboundary consultation process is close of business on Wednesday 23 June 2021 at the latest. Submissions or observations will not be individually acknowledged or responded to by the planning authority. The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage will not accept submissions or observations in relation to the consultation.
Notification from Belgium inviting Ireland to participate in the transboundary consultation August 2020
Notification from Belgium inviting Ireland to participate in the transboundary consultation April 2021
Report on the Justified safe continued operation of Doel 1 & 2 Nuclear Power Plants
Extended Executive Summary of the Environmental Impact Report concerning the nuclear safety-related improvement works
Non-technical summary of the Environmental Impact Report concerning the strategic decision to extend the operational life of the Nuclear Power Plants
Environmental Impact Report concerning the nuclear safety-related improvement works - Part 1
Environmental Impact Report concerning the nuclear safety-related improvement works - Part 2
Respondents are advised that the Department is subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2014 and Data Protection legislation.
With the exception of a name and address, personal, confidential or commercially sensitive information should not be included in your submission or observations and it will be presumed that all information contained in your submission is releasable under the Freedom of Information Act 2014.
After the period for making a submission or observations closes, each planning authority will consult with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. As part of this consultation with the Minister, each planning authority will send on copies of the submissions or observations received and a summary of same to the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Once this process is complete, each planning authority will forward to the Belgian Ministry of Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development all submissions or observations it receives through this public consultation and a summary of same.
Submissions or observations received or a summary of same may be published on the website of the Belgian Ministry of Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development, and may be published on the website of the planning authority concerned. The Department for Housing, Local Government and Heritage will not publish any submissions or observations or a summary of same.
Privacy Statement - Public Consultation Nuclear Power Plants in Belgium
| Local Authority | Postal Address | Submissions Email Address | Phone Number |
| Carlow | Planning Department, Carlow County Council, County Buildings,Athy Road,Carlow,R93 E7R7 | Planningdevman@carlowcoco.ie | 059 9170346 |
| Cavan | Planning Section, Cavan County Council, Cavan Courthouse,Farnham Street, Cavan, H12 R6V2 | plan@cavancoco.ie | 049 4378300 |
| Clare | Planning Department, Clare County Council Áras Contae an Chláir, New Road, Ennis, Co. Clare, V95 DXP2 | transboundaryeia@clarecoco.ie | 065 6846232 |
| Cork City | Planning Department, Cork City Council, City Hall, Anglesea Street, Cork, T12 T997 | planningpolicy@corkcity.ie | 021 2389811 |
| Cork County | Planning Department, Cork County Council, County Hall, Carrigrohane Road, Cork,T12 R2NC | Doel1and2Plants@corkcoco.ie | 021 4285883 |
| Dublin City | Block 4, Floor 0, Civic Offices, Wood Quay, Dublin 8, D08 RF3F | transboundary@dublincity.ie | 01 222 2149 |
| DLRCC | Planning Secretariat, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, County Council, County Hall, Marine Road, Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin, A96 K6C9 | planningsecretariat@dlrcoco.ie | 01 2454700 |
| Donegal | The Planning Authority, Donegal County Council, County House, The Diamond, Lifford, Co. Donegal, F93 Y622 | planning@donegalcoco.ie | 074 9153900 |
| Fingal | Senior Executive Officer, Planning and Strategic Infrastructure Department,Fingal County Council, County Hall, Main Street, Swords, Co. Dublin, K67 X8Y2 | Fingal.DevelopmentPlan@fingal.ie | 01 890 5000 |
| Galway County | Planning Section, Galway County Council, Áras an Chontae, Prospect Hill, Galway, H91 H6KX | planning@galwaycoco.ie | 091 509000 |
| Galway City | Planning Department, Galway City Council, City Hall, College Road, Galway, H91 X4K8 | planning@galwaycity.ie | 091 536516 |
| Kildare | Planning Section, Kildare County Council, Áras Chill Dara, Devoy Park, Naas, Co. Kildare, W91 X77F | plandept@kildarecoco.ie | 045 980200 |
| Kerry | Planning Section, Kerry County Council, Áras an Chontae, Rathass, Tralee, Co. Kerry, V92 H7VT | plan@kerrycoco.ie | 066 7183796 |
| Kilkenny | Planning Department, Kilkenny County Council, County Hall, John Street, Kilkenny, R95 A39T | planning@kilkennycoco.ie | 056 7794000 |
| Limerick | Planning Section, Floor 1, Limerick City & County Council Offices, Dooradoyle Road, Limerick, V94 WV78 | Planning@limerick.ie | 061 556000 |
| Longford | Planning Department, Longford County Council, Áras an Chontae, Great Water Street, Longford, N39 NH56 | planning@longfordcoco.ie | 043 3343431 |
| Louth | Planning Section, Louth County Council, Town Hall, Crowe Street Dundalk, Co. Louth, A91 W2OC | transboundary@louthcoco.ie | 042 9392967 |
| Laois | Planning Section, Laois County Council, Áras an Chontae, JFL Ave, Portlaoise, Co. Laois, R32 EHP9 | transboundarysub@laoiscoco.ie | 057 8664000 |
| Leitrim | Planning Department, Leitrim County Council, Áras an Chontae, St. George’s Tce, Carrick-on-Shannon Co. Leitrim, N41 PF67 | planning@leitrimcoco.ie | 071 6920005 |
| Meath | Planning Section, Meath County Council, Buvinda House, Dublin Road, Navan, Co. Meath, C15 Y291 | planning@meathcoco.ie | 046 9097000 |
| Mayo | Planning Section, Mayo County Council, Áras an Chontae, The Mall, Castlebar, Co. Mayo, F23 WF90 | planning@mayococo.ie | 094 9064000 |
| Monaghan | Planning Section,Monaghan County Council,1 Dublin Street, Monaghan, H18 X982 | Planning@monaghancoco.ie | 047 3053 |
| Offaly | Planning Section, Offaly County Council, Áras an Chontae, Charleville Road, Tullamore, Co. Offaly, R35 F893 | planning@offalycoco.ie | 057 9346800 |
| Roscommon | Planning Section, Roscommon County Council, Áras an Chontae, Church Road, Roscommon, F42 VR98 | planning@roscommoncoco.ie | 090 6637100 |
| Sligo | Planning Section, Sligo County Council, City Hall, Quay Street, Sligo, F91 PP44 | planning@sligococo.ie | 071 911 4452 |
| South Dublin | Planning Department, South Dublin County Council, County Hall, Belgard Square Nth Tallaght, Dublin 24, D24 YNN5 | https://consult.sdublincoco.ie/make submissions through above link | 01 414 9000 |
| Tipperary | Planning Section, Tipperary County Council, Civic Offices, Limerick Road, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary, E45 A099 | planning@tipperarycoco.ie | 0761 065000 |
| Waterford | The Planning Department, Waterford City and County Council, 1st Floor, Menapia Building, The Mall, Waterford, X91 FXN4 | transboundary@waterfordcouncil.ie | 0761 102020 |
| Westmeath | Planning Section, Westmeath County Council, Áras an Chontae, Mount Street, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, N91 FH4N | planning@westmeathcoco.ie | 044 9332165 |
| Wexford | Planning Section, Wexford County Council, County Hall, Carricklawn, Wexford, Y35 WY93 | submissions@wexfordcoco.ie | 053 9196240 |
| Wicklow | Planning Section, Wicklow County Council, County Buildings Station Road, Whitegates, Wicklow Town, A67 FW96 | plandev@wicklowcoco.ie | 0404 20100 |
