Country profile: Netherlands

Summary figures for 2011

The following information is from the NEA publication Nuclear Energy Data, the annual compilation of official statistics and country reports on nuclear energy in OECD member countries.

Country
Number of nuclear power plants connected to the grid
Nuclear electricity generation
(net TWh) 2011
Nuclear percentage of total electricity supply
Netherlands
1
3.9
3.6
  
OECD Europe
135
858.4
24.7
  
Total
329
2049.5
20.7
  

Country report

Nuclear electricity generation

The only nuclear power plant in the Netherlands is sited in Borssele (PWR, 480 MWe net). Commercial operation started in 1973. The plant was refurbished in the year 1997. The plant had an excellent year with a load factor of 95% and a production of 4.0 TWh. The previous Government (coalition of liberals and christen-democrats) has decided that the Borssele power plant will operate until 2033. The owner of the NPP got the licences to increase the enrichment of the fuel by which a higher burn-up can be reached. The new fuel is applied since 2005. Besides an upgrade of the turbine facilitated an increase in power level of 7% or 35 MWe which brought the net output level to 480 MWe net. The new Government (coalition of socialists and christen-democrats) decided that no new nuclear power plants will be constructed during their rule. However the possible nuclear sites including the Borssele site will be kept in order that future Governments may decide otherwise.

Uranium enrichment

Uranium enrichment is the most important fuel cycle activity in Netherlands. Urenco Nederland BV increased its capacity to 3 800 tSW/y last year. A licence application for extension up to 4 950 tSW/y is in preparation. The share of the Urenco-group in the Western world is nearly 20%. Urenco has concluded contracts with 17 countries, including many European Union countries, Switzerland, Brazil, South Africa, the United States, as well as in the Far East (Korea, Chinese Taipei and Japan).

The success of Urenco is based on its advanced gas ultra centrifuge technology. Improvements are still made in this technology as a result of an extensive R&D programme. Ultra-Centrifuge’s availability was better than 99.9% in 2005. Construction of a new plant – SP5, fifth plant – was started in 1999. In its first, second and third hall the ultra centrifuges ran smoothly in 2005. The fourth hall was completed in 2007. The construction of a new Urenco enrichment plant in New Mexico/USA started. Urenco concluded an agreement with AREVA to found the new joint-venture ETC (Enrichment Technology Company) which goal is the construction of George Besse II at the Tricastin site.

In addition, Urenco is the world’s largest supplier of depleted Zinc-64, which is used for dose rate reduction of nuclear power stations and also against stress corrosion. Urenco Nederland is supplying other stable isotopes to the market as well like cadmium, molybdenum, iridium, selenium, tungsten and many more.

RD&D and nuclear technology

NRG (Nuclear Research and consultancy Group) is performing most nuclear R&D in the Netherlands. NRG is committed to national and international research projects (inside as well as outside European Union) and performs a number of activities. Its services have been divided into five product groups, namely, Materials, Monitoring and Inspection; Fuels, Actinides and Isotopes; Radiation and Environment; Irradiation Services; Plant Performance and Technology. NRG makes use of the complete nuclear infrastructure at the Petten site which is necessary for performing nuclear Research and Development, e.g. 1) HFR for material irradiation, testing and medical radioisotope production, 2) hot laboratories for manipulation of radioactive specimen and radioisotope separation as well as 3) computer models for risk analysis and computational fluid dynamics.

Source: Nuclear Energy Data 2009

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Last reviewed: 7 October 2012