The

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

' only commercial

nuclear reactor A nuclear reactor is a device used to initiate and control a fission nuclear chain reaction or nuclear fusion reactions. Nuclear reactors are used at nuclear power plants for electricity generation and in nuclear marine propulsion. Heat fr ...

Borssele nuclear power plant The Borssele Nuclear Power Station (''Kerncentrale Borssele'') is a nuclear power plant near the Dutch town of Borssele. It has a pressurised water reactor (PWR). Borssele is the only nuclear power plant still operational for electricity productio ...

, which became operational in 1973 and produces 485 MW and about 4% of the country's electricity. The older Dodewaard nuclear power plant was a test reactor that was later attached to the national grid but was closed in 1997. A 2 MW

research reactor Research reactors are nuclear fission-based nuclear reactors that serve primarily as a neutron source. They are also called non-power reactors, in contrast to power reactors that are used for electricity production, heat generation, or marit ...

is located in Delft, as part of the physics department of

Delft University of Technology Delft University of Technology ( nl, Technische Universiteit Delft), also known as TU Delft, is the oldest and largest Dutch public technical university, located in Delft, Netherlands. As of 2022 it is ranked by QS World University Rankings among ...

. This reactor is not meant for energy provision, but is used as a neutron- and positron-source for research.

History

Researchers in the Netherlands began studying nuclear energy in the 1930s and began the construction of research reactor at Dodewaard in 1955. The researchers’ goal was to introduce nuclear power technology by 1962 and reduce the need for fossil fuels. In 1968, a test nuclear reactor was attached to the power grid. This unit was shut down in 1997. In the 1970s, the Dutch chose a policy that required the reprocessing of all

spent nuclear fuel Spent nuclear fuel, occasionally called used nuclear fuel, is nuclear fuel that has been irradiated in a nuclear reactor (usually at a nuclear power plant). It is no longer useful in sustaining a nuclear reaction in an ordinary thermal reactor and ...

. In 1984, the government decided to create a long-term (100 years) storage facility for all intermediate and low-level

radioactive waste Radioactive waste is a type of hazardous waste that contains radioactive material. Radioactive waste is a result of many activities, including nuclear medicine, nuclear research, nuclear power generation, rare-earth mining, and nuclear weapons r ...

and research strategies for ultimate disposal. In September 2003, the Central Organization for Radioactive Waste created an interim storage facility for

high-level waste High-level waste (HLW) is a type of nuclear waste created by the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel. It exists in two main forms: * First and second cycle raffinate and other waste streams created by nuclear reprocessing. * Waste formed by vit ...

. In 1994, the Netherlands' parliament voted to phase out nuclear power after a discussion of nuclear waste management. In 1997, the power station at Dodewaard was shut down and the government planned to end Borssele's operating license in 2003. In 2003, with a new government in power, the shutdown was postponed to 2013. In 2006, the government decided that Borssele would remain open until 2034, if it complied with the highest safety standards. The owners,

Essent Essent N.V. is a Dutch energy company based in 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands. It is a subsidiary of E.ON. It is a public limited liability corporation. Essent is the largest energy company in the country. Belgium is their second home market. Es ...

and

Delta Delta commonly refers to: * Delta (letter) (Δ or δ), a letter of the Greek alphabet * River delta, at a river mouth * D ( NATO phonetic alphabet: "Delta") * Delta Air Lines, US * Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19 Delta may also ...

, would invest 500 million euros in sustainable energy, together with the government's money, which, the government claims, should have otherwise been paid to the plant's owners as compensation. After the 2010 election, the new government was open to expanding nuclear power. Both of the companies that share ownership of Borssele are proposing to build new reactors. In January 2012, Delta announced the postponing of any decision to start building a second nuclear power plant. In November 2018, a majority of the Dutch parliament supported the construction of new nuclear power plants. In November 2019, an opinion poll found that 61% of Dutch voters are in favor of the installation of new nuclear plants in the Netherlands, with a noticeable discrepancy between right- and left-wing voters. In December 2021, the

Fourth Rutte cabinet The Fourth Rutte cabinet is the current Government of the Netherlands. It was inaugurated on 10 January 2022. The cabinet is a continuation of the previous third Rutte cabinet and is formed by the conservative-liberal People's Party for Free ...

stated that it wants to prepare for the construction of two new nuclear power plants in order to reduce CO₂ emissions and meet the European Union goals for tackling climate change. Part of this preparation is the launch of a feasibility study, looking at the advantages and disadvantages of the use of nuclear power to tackle climate change. In December 2022, the

designated the existing Borssele nuclear power plant site as the preferred location for two new reactors. It has also called for a feasibility study into extending the operation of the existing Borssele plant beyond 2033.

References

{{Europe topic, Nuclear energy in