The Netherlands expects delays in construction of new nuclear reactors

The Netherlands is unlikely to bring a new nuclear power plant online by 2035, as originally planned. Minister for Climate Policy and Green Growth Sophie Hermans informed parliament of this and said the government is now considering Eemshaven as one of the possible sites for the construction of two new nuclear reactors.

In December 2021, the Dutch coalition government placed nuclear energy at the centre of its climate and energy policy. Under preliminary plans, two new reactors with a capacity of 1000–1650 MWe each were to be completed around 2035. The two units are expected to provide approximately 9–13% of the Netherlands’ total electricity generation in 2035.

Possible sites for the new reactors

In December 2022, the Dutch cabinet identified the existing Borssele nuclear power plant site as the most suitable location for the construction of a new nuclear power plant.

In addition to Borssele, the government is also considering two other sites: Tweede Maasvlakte near Rotterdam and Terneuzen in the province of Zeeland. Eemshaven in the province of Groningen was originally removed from the list due to strong opposition from local residents.

However, Minister Sophie Hermans has now announced that, following a recommendation from the Dutch State Advocate, Eemshaven will once again be included among the possible sites for a new nuclear power plant.

Legal dilemma surrounding the Eemshaven site

In a letter to parliament, Hermans said the cabinet faces a difficult decision: “On the one hand, we do not consider it appropriate to investigate Eemshaven, as there are agreements to exclude it from the guaranteed areas. On the other hand, it is essential to ensure a careful and legally robust decision.”

According to the minister, Eemshaven cannot be ruled out of the environmental impact assessment process in advance without risking the cabinet’s decision being challenged in court.

“Excluding Eemshaven would entail too great a legal risk, which could result in the decision being annulled by the Council of State,” Hermans explained.

The minister also warned that keeping Eemshaven off the list could lead to further delays in the future, as additional investigations would have to be carried out at a later stage of the project.

“The consequences would then be even more serious, because part of the assessment would have to be repeated. It would also significantly slow down other key processes, such as financing and technology selection,” Hermans added.

The minister wants to decide on the preferred site for the new reactors only after the local investigation is complete, in cooperation with the minister for housing and spatial planning.

Construction schedule and international cooperation

“The government will announce which sites will be examined in detail as soon as possible. This will clarify the timeline for selecting the final site, which has so far been scheduled for mid-2025,” Hermans said.

“It is clear, however, that a final site will not be chosen this year,” she added.

It is not yet clear exactly what this delay means for the construction and commissioning of the two new reactors. However, it seems increasingly unlikely that the first unit could come online in 2035.

“Many steps still need to be completed, including spatial planning procedures, tendering, permitting and construction itself. A detailed schedule for all these stages is not yet available,” the minister added.

The Dutch government has already commissioned Westinghouse and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power to carry out technical feasibility studies on deploying their reactors at the Borssele site. The government has also announced its intention to commission a similar study from France’s EDF. In November 2023, US company Amentum was selected to assess and evaluate the studies submitted by the three potential suppliers.