1.4.5.3 Other international
Under “Other international” segment, at end-2019, the Group has a consolidated installed capacity of 4.2GW, which generated 22.4TWh of power in 2019.
Installed capacity and Output for the “Other International” segment – 2019
Installed capacity
in MW
- Hydropower 67 MW 2%
- Thermal 2,749 MW 65%
- Nuclear 900 MW 21%
- Other renewables(1) 520 MW 12%
- 4,236 MW
Output
in TWh
- Hydropower 0.2 TWh 1%
- Thermal 14.2 TWh 63%
- Nuclear 7.1 TWh 32%
- Other renewables(1) 0.9 TWh
- 22.4 TWh
(1) Excluding international data for EDF Renewables, see section 1.4.1.5.4 “EDF Renewables”.
NB: The values correspond to the expression to the first decimal or integer closest to the sum of the precise values, taking into account rounding.
1.4.5.3.1 Northern Europe
Belgium
The Benelux region features important interfaces with the Franco-German electricity marketplace and projects for new links with Germany and with Great Britain are being examined. Benelux also constitutes an important node in the European gas market because of its numerous import and transit infrastructures, such as the Zeebrugge hub and the Dunkirk LNG terminal nearby.
The EDF group is present in Belgium through EDF Belgium, Luminus and Citelum.
EDF Belgium
As part of a long-term nuclear energy cooperation agreement with Electrabel, EDF holds 50% in undivided co-ownership of the Tihange 1 nuclear power plant, through its wholly-owned Belgian subsidiary, EDF Belgium. The capacity attributed to EDF represents 481MW (or 2% of Belgian generation capacity). Tihange 1 output, which is attributed to EDF Belgium is sold to EDF (via a long-term contract renewed at the end of 2015 for 10 additional years) which, in turn, resells the electricity to Luminusat a market price.
Belgium’s 2003 nuclear phase-out legislation originally provided for the closure of Tihange 1 on 1 October 2015. Nevertheless, it was finally decided to extend its operation upon 2025, following the adoption in 2012 by the Belgian government of the Equipment Plan, and the Law of 2013 amending the Law of 2003 pertaining to the timeframe for the phasing out of nuclear energy. This extension was the subject of an agreement concluded on 12 March 2014 between Electrabel, EDF and the Belgian State, defining its terms and conditions.
The extension of the lifespan of Tihange 1 requires significant investment, with EDF’s share amounting to around €300 million, spread over the period from 2011 to 2020.
Luminus
At the end of 2019, the EDF group held 68.63% of the Luminus company through its subsidiary EDF Belgium, with the remaining equity held by Belgian public shareholders.
Luminus is the second largest player in the Belgian energy market after Electrabel, and it holds a balanced upstream/downstream portfolio. The company, whose market share is close to 20%, possesses almost 10% of total Belgian generation capacity with 2,129 MW installed at the end of 2018. The electricity generation of Luminus reached 5.2TWh in 2018. The company has 2,000 employees, including the newly-acquired subsidiaries.
As part of the Group’s CAP 2030 strategic plan, Luminus has the ambition of developing its wind farm fleet and accelerating the deployment of its energy services in order to provide its customers with innovative and sustainable solutions, whilst pursuing its objective of reducing costs and rationalising its thermo-electrical generation fleet.
Luminus owns 10.2% (419MW) of Belgium’s Tihange 2 and 3 nuclear power plants(commissioned in 1983 and 1985 respectively) and of the Doel 3 and 4 plants (commissioned in 1982 and 1985 respectively), which have a lifespan of 40 years. Luminus also has 100MW drawing rights on the French Chooz B nuclear power plant, based on a band of guaranteed output according to the average availability of the French fleet.
Apart from the drawing rights in the nuclear fleet, Luminus also possesses a thermal fleet comprising several power plants (combined cycles and open cycles) for an installed capacity of 1,208MW.
The Seraing steam gas turbine met its strategic reserve obligation for the period from November 2017 to the end of October 2018. The plant came back online after the strategic reserve mechanism was not renewed.
Luminus is moreover present in renewable energies: it operates 7 hydropower plant sand owns 52 onshore wind farms totalling 189 turbines spread across Wallonia and Flanders. Since the end of 2015, the company has been the leader in onshore wind farms in Belgium and now has an installed capacity of 438.5MW. In 2018, Luminus erected 24 wind turbines for a total capacity of 62.8MW. It also bought MegaWindyCVBA, an onshore wind farm operator in Flanders. Mega Windy owns land titles which should allow for the development of around 40 MW in power.