The Netherlands Taking Further Steps Towards Borssele Extension And SMR Investments
The Dutch government has confirmed plans to extend the lifespan of its only commercial nuclear power plant beyond 2033 and to invest €20m in the development of small modular reactors (SMRs), as reported by NucNet.
The Ministry of Climate Policy and Green Growth said in a statement that the cabinet had submitted an amendment to the Nuclear Energy Act to the House of Representatives that would allow for the plant in Borssele, in the south of the Netherlands, to remain operational for longer than originally planned.
It said this was part of a drive to make nuclear power a larger part of the power supply in the country. Moreover, the ministry also said the government is allocating €20m to stimulate development of SMRs in the Netherlands.
“With these steps, the Netherlands is firmly committed to a reliable, CO2-free energy supply, in addition to wind and solar energy,” the ministry said.
In a separate statement the government said if the amendment is adopted, Borssele’s operator EPZ (ENS Corporate Member) can apply to the regulator ANVS to keep the nuclear power plant operating beyond 2033. “This will allow the Netherlands to continue consuming CO2-free energy for a longer period,” it said.
Read the full NucNet article.
In 2022, the Dutch Government announced its commitment to build new nuclear power plants in the Netherlands and to extend the operating life of the existing plant in Borssele.
EPZ has already started the study into an operational life extension beyond 2034 when the current legislation says that the nuclear power plant will close.
Read more about that in the story shared in the latest ENS Newsletter.
In December 2022, the government also confirmed the selection of the Borssele site as a preferred location for the proposed construction of two new nuclear power reactor units.
The government stated that Borssele has “sufficient space” for new buildings and houses existing infrastructure, including a radioactive waste repository run by COVRA.
According to the cabinet statement, the units should be deployed by 2035, have each a capacity between 1,000 MW and 1,650 MW, and use a Generation III+ reactor technology. Once operational, the new NPPs can supply 9-13% of the country’s total electricity.
