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Tihange nuclear power plant 1

Retired Belgium
Gross capacity
1,009MW

Tihange nuclear power plant 1 is a pressurised water reactor unit at Tihange nuclear power plant in Belgium rated at 1,009 MW gross. It is retired. Commercial operation began 1 Oct 1975.

Corrected against a later source

Permanently shut down on 1 October 2025 at the end of its extended licence, after the GNPT record was last researched in May 2024.

status: operating → retired · IAEA Power Reactor Information System, reactor record TIHANGE-1 · verified 2026-09-06

Permanently shut down on 1 October 2025 at the end of its extended licence, after the GNPT record was last researched in May 2024.

permanent_shutdown: not set → 2025-10-01 · IAEA Power Reactor Information System, reactor record TIHANGE-1 · verified 2026-09-06

Permanently shut down on 1 October 2025 at the end of its extended licence, after the GNPT record was last researched in May 2024.

retirement_year: not set → 2025 · IAEA Power Reactor Information System, reactor record TIHANGE-1 · verified 2026-09-06

Specification
Reactor type Pressurised water reactor (PWR)
ModelFramatome 3 loops reactor
Size classLarge
CoolantLight water
ModeratorLight water
Gross capacity1,009MW
Net capacity (reference)962MW
Net capacity (design)870MW
Thermal output2,873MWt
Typical enrichment3–5% U-235
Ownership & location
SiteTihange nuclear power plant
Unit1
CountryBelgium
OwnerEngie Electrabel100%
OperatorEngie Electrabel
Coordinates 50.5334, 5.2714
Fuel chain for this unit
Fuel form
Uranium dioxide pellets in zirconium-alloy cladding
Enrichment
3–5% U-235
Who makes this assembly
Upstream

Enriched fuel means this unit sits downstream of five conversion plants and four enrichment operators holding 88% of world capacity between the top three.

RosatomUrencoCNNCOrano
Conversion
CamecoCNNCConverDynOranoRosatom
Fabricator capability is recorded against reactor type and model line, not against named units — utilities do not publish fuel contracts. See the fuel chain.

Timeline

  1. 1 Jun 1970Construction start
  2. 21 Feb 1975First criticality
  3. 7 Mar 1975Grid connection
  4. 1 Oct 1975Commercial operation
  5. 1 Oct 2025Permanent shutdown

Other units at Tihange nuclear power plant

UnitStatusGross MW
Tihange nuclear power plant 2 Retired 1,055
Tihange nuclear power plant 3 Operating 1,089

Sources