Germany will deliver electricity to Belgium in order to help prevent black-outs from occurring in its neighboring country during the winter, German economy minister Peter Altmaier announced on Tuesday.
Speaking after a meeting with Belgian minister of energy, environment and sustainable development Marie-Christine Marghem, Altmaier said that Germany stood at Belgium's side as it sought to overcome difficulties stemming from simultaneous maintenance work at several of its nuclear power plants.
"We have both set a goal of guaranteeing electricity supply in Belgium at any given time," Altmaier told press.
Towards this end, Germany will transport electricity to Belgium via the Netherlands for lack of existing direct German-Belgian power links which could make up for potential losses from power plant outages.
Marghem welcomed the German offer of assistance which she said came at a difficult time for her country. She expressed confidence that her government could now rest assured that it would have "sufficient help in the winter."
Earlier, France also said that it would provide additional electricity supply to Belgium.
Belgium faces the threat of shortages of electricity supply this winter as a consequence of necessary maintenance work at the controversial Doel and Tihange nuclear power plants. Belgian authorities already reached a decision back in 2003 to exit nuclear power generation entirely by 2025 but have since postponed deadlines to shut down the oldest nuclear facilities.
Altmaier also announced that Berlin and Brussels would seek to intensify their energy cooperation more generally and would complete construction of a first direct electricity line between the two countries by late 2019 or early 2020.
Editor:Cherie
