Dutch province considers SMR deployment

Thursday, 13 March 2025

The study - commissioned by the province - examined the technical conditions for constructing an SMR in Gelderland. These included: sufficient available space; guarantee of safety for the environment; availability of sufficient cooling water in the area; and energy demand in the region.

"By combining this type of data with, for example, the permit requirements that a plant must meet, it becomes clear which areas may be suitable," the province said.

Based on these factors, four areas have been identified as potentially suitable for the construction of an SMR. These regions are: Arnhem-Nijmegen, Rivierenland, IJssel-Zuid and Randmeren.

"The study is exploratory in nature and does not indicate specific locations," NRG-Pallas noted. "It provides an initial insight into the (environmental) factors that determine an SMR in Gelderland. The province will now continue discussions with municipalities and other stakeholders to make the possibilities more concrete. This will not only look at the technical suitability, but also at social and political preconditions, such as support and regional energy visions.

"We believe it is important that social boundary conditions and support also play a role later in the process. That is why we are already talking to municipalities to get an idea of ​​which municipalities are positive about the construction of an SMR."

"In this phase, four regions are interesting enough for a follow-up study into a suitable Gelderland SMR location," said Ans Mol, energy deputy for the province. "That is a great outcome, it offers realistic possibilities that match our ambitions. In the coming period, we will do follow-up research and enter into discussions to make the arrival of an SMR even more concrete."

The province said: "We see an important role for nuclear energy." An SMR, it says, can contribute to the reduction of the use of fossil fuels and the sustainability of the energy supply in the region.

In November last year, a joint report by NRG-Pallas and TNO concluded there is room for more than 13 SMRs - each with a capacity of 150 MWe - in the Netherlands by 2050. If constraints on the potential deployment capacity are partially lifted, as is done in some of the what-if analyses, it is observed that there may even be room for more than 27 SMRs.

In April 2023, in its draft Climate Fund for 2024, the Dutch government budgeted funds totalling EUR320 million (USD352 million) for the development of nuclear energy. The funds will be used for the preparation of the operational extension of the existing Borssele nuclear power plant, the construction of two new large reactors, the development of SMRs and for nuclear skills development in the Netherlands.