BR-3
Reactor Data
Reactor Units
Every power reactor at this site as listed in the IAEA Power Reactor Information System (PRIS): reactor type and model, net electrical capacity, grid connection and commercial operation dates, and current status.
1 unit: 1 permanent shutdown.
| Unit | Type | Model | Net MWe | Construction | Grid | Commercial Op | Shutdown | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BR 3 | PWR | Prototype | 10 | 1957-11-01 | 1962-10-10 | 1962-10-10 | 1987-06-30 | Permanent Shutdown |
Capacity, milestones and suppliers
| Unit | Design MWe | Gross MWe | Thermal MWt | First Criticality | Reactor Supplier | Turbine Supplier | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BR 3 | 11 | 12 | 41 | 1962-08-29 | WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC CORPORATION | WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC CORPORATION |
Lifetime performance, through 2025
| Unit | Electricity Supplied | Load Factor | Energy Availability | Operating Factor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BR 3 | 0.8 TWh | 40.2% | 40.3% | 51.5% |
Operator: CENTRE D'ETUDE DE L'ENERGIE NUCLEAIRE / STUDIECENTRUM VOOR KERNENERGIE
Owner: CENTRE D'ETUDE DE L'ENERGIE NUCLEAIRE / STUDIECENTRUM VOOR KERNENERGIE
Source: IAEA Power Reactor Information System (PRIS), as of 2026-10-14.
Research Reactors
Research and test reactors, critical assemblies and prototypes at this site, as listed in the IAEA Research Reactor Database: type, thermal power, first criticality, shutdown date, current status and what each is used for.
5 reactors: 3 operational, 1 decommissioned, 1 planned.
| Reactor | Type | Thermal Power | First Criticality | Shutdown | Status | Used For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BR-1 | Graphite | 1 MWt | 1956-05-11 | Operational | activation analysis, teaching, training | |
| BR-2 | Tank In Pool | 1 MWt | 1961-07-06 | Operational | isotope production, materials testing, transmutation, training | |
| VENUS-F | Crit Assembly | 100 Wt | 1964-04-30 | Operational | nuclear data, teaching, training | |
| BR-02, Mock-up of BR2 | Pool | 500 Wt | 1959-12-01 | 1993-03-01 | Decommissioned | |
| MYRRHA | Fast | 85 MWt | Planned | isotope production, materials testing |
Source: IAEA Research Reactor Database (RRDB), as of 2026-10-13.
Fuel Cycle Facilities
Fuel cycle plants at this site, as listed in the IAEA Nuclear Fuel Cycle Facilities Database: what each plant does, its scale and design capacity, the years it operated, its current status and who operates it.
1 facility: 1 decommissioning.
| Facility | Type | Scale | Design Capacity | Operated | Status | Operator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belgian Reactor 3 | AR Spent Fuel Storage | Pilot plant | 1962–1987 | Decommissioning | CEN-SCK |
Source: IAEA Nuclear Fuel Cycle Facilities Database (NFCFDB), as of 2026-10-13.
Working Here
Per Diem Rates FY 2026
Per diem covers lodging and meals & incidental expenses (M&IE) for government and contractor travel near this facility. Rates are from the U.S. State Department foreign per diem tables for FY 2026.
$228
Lodging/Night
$135
M&IE/Day
$363
Total/Day
Belgium: rate for locations the State Department does not list separately
U.S. Department of State foreign per diem, for U.S. government and contractor travel.
Photos
Photos of this facility from the NukeWorker photo gallery. Click the header or any photo to browse the full album.
Facility Map
Interactive satellite map showing the facility's geographic location. Marker color indicates current status: green for online, red for offline, orange for reduced power. Click the header to open in Google Maps satellite view.
51.2192, 5.1019
Location & Contact
Physical address, phone number, and website for this facility. Use the directions link to get driving directions via Google Maps.
Plant Facts
About This Site
Written by NukeWorker from public records: facts that do not change. Operator, status and capacity come from the live data elsewhere on this page. Sources: SCK CEN: BR3 - Belgian Reactor 3; IAEA: BR3 dismantling case study.
BR3 (Belgian Reactor 3) is a pressurized water reactor at the nuclear research center in Mol, in the province of Antwerp, Belgium, a site associated with SCK CEN.
Read more
BR3 became critical on 19 August 1962, was connected to the grid on 10 October 1962, and was permanently shut down on 30 June 1987. SCK CEN describes it as the first pressurized water reactor in Europe. It was used to test advanced PWR fuels and served as a prototype for the reactors later built at Doel and Tihange. In 1989 the European Commission selected it as a pilot project to show that a reactor could be dismantled under real conditions.