The incoming new government of the Netherlands will reportedly support the construction of at least four new utility-scale nuclear power reactors as part of a program to more than triple the amount of government funding for nuclear projects.
Dutch media reported that Silvio Erkens, a member of the center-right VVD (People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy) that will be part of the new government, said officials have already planned a tender to determine the technology for at least the first two nuclear plants. Officials have also said they will consider buying a stake in the single-unit, 485-MW Borssele nuclear power plant – currently the Netherlands’ only nuclear power plant – if officials decide to extend its current operation beyond the scheduled expiration of its license in 2033.
The 485-MW Borssele plant is the only nuclear power plant in the Netherlands. Officials are considering whether to extend the plant’s operation beyond 2033. Source: EPZ
Borssele, which uses a pressurized water reactor, has been in operation since 1973. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, the plant will still provide about 3.3% of the country’s electricity in 2022.
The new coalition government said it has allocated funds to study whether it is technically feasible and also safe to extend Borssele’s operating life. The nuclear power plant is 30% owned by the German utility RWE. The remaining 70% is owned by Zeeuwse Energie Houdstermaatschappij, a public limited company made up of groups including the province of Zeeland and variou
