Belgium will stop decommissioning its nuclear power plants, Prime Minister Bart De Wever announced on Thursday.

The government is going to negotiate with operator ENGIE over the nationalization of the plants, De Wever said.

"This government chooses safe, affordable, and sustainable energy. With less dependence on fossil imports and more control over our own supply," he wrote on X.

ENGIE said it signed a letter of intent with the Belgian government on exclusive negotiations.

The agreement covers the potential acquisition of "the complete nuclear fleet of seven reactors, the associated personnel, all nuclear subsidiaries, as well as all associated assets and liabilities, including decommissioning and dismantling obligations," a press release said.

A basic agreement is expected to be reached by October, it said.

Belgium originally decided in 2003 to phase-out nuclear power production by 2025, but political debate and energy security concerns have led to delays.

Last year the Belgian parliament voted by a large majority to end the nuclear phase-out. De Wever’s government also aims to build new nuclear power plants.

Belgium has seven nuclear reactors at two different sites, although three reactors have already been taken off the grid. 

The fate of the ageing installations has been debated for decades. The country is currently heavily dependent on gas imports to cover its electricity needs as it has been struggling to expand renewable power generation significantly.