In 2012, the firm used new technology to conduct the tests and found that there were cracks in the steel of the reactor containment vessels, reported news website wsj.com.

Electrabel after finding the micro-cracks had closed two of the seven nuclear reactors in Belgium, which were failing to meet the norms.

The company in a statement said that "Electrabel will carry out the tests with the greatest rigor. According to the estimations, these tests would be realized before the end of March."