Netherlands Gives Green Light For New Petten Reactor
Written by NucNet
Friday, 27 January 2012
The Dutch government has given the green light for a new research reactor to be built at Petten in the Netherlands, replacing the existing High-Flux Reactor (HFR), which has been in operation since 1961 and is reaching the end of its economic life.
The decision was announced by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation. The ministry said in a statement that central government and the province of North Holland had each undertaken to commit 40 million euro (EUR) (about 50 million US dollars) to the project.
The ministry said the new reactor, to be called Pallas, could be operational in 2022.
The EUR 80 million from the government and North Holland is for the design, tendering and licensing of the unit.
The cost of the whole project is put at around EUR 500 million, with the remaining capital due to be raised during phase two of the project from private investment. The second phase will begin once the construction licence is granted.
