”The next five to ten winters will be difficult.” Belgium is preparing for a protracted energy crisis in Europe

The Prime Minister of Belgium, Alexander de Croo, expressed the opinion that the energy crisis in Europe will last for about 10 years, and not only next winter.

The Brussels Time, referring to his speech, writes that long-term economic problems await Belgium due to a sharp rise in energy prices.

"The next five to ten winters will be extremely difficult. Some industries are facing serious difficulties because of these high energy prices," he explained.

Alexander de Croo said that Belgium is preparing for the worst, although he hopes that the winter will not be too cold.

Currently, electricity prices in Belgium have reached a historical maximum and exceeded €600 per MWh for the first time (while in Ukraine, it is €74).

This situation arose due to the fact that France disconnected several nuclear power plants from the grid, the price of natural gas rose, and the drought and, as a result, low water levels also affected it. Belgian companies are already preparing for the possible termination of Russian gas supplies, calling it a "ticking time bomb." At the same time, certain sectors of the economy have already begun to reduce their capacities due to energy prices.

• The Bloomberg agency named the five sectors of the economy most affected by the global energy crisis, among them: the production of industrial metals, "green" metals, fertilizers, steel, and sugar.