Dutch province provides funding for MSR development

Tuesday, 4 March 2025

In January, Dutch technology companies Demcon, Thorizon and VDL Group signed a project agreement to develop and test technology for molten salt reactors (MSRs). The PROMOSA project focuses on demonstrating and validating the manufacturability, safety, and functionality of critical components and non-nuclear (sub)systems of these reactors. The work is to be carried out in collaboration with the Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research (DIFFER), a leading research institute in Eindhoven in Noord-Brabant province.

In early December, the consortium submitted a grant application to the province of Noord-Brabant.

The province has now said it will contribute 50% of the total project costs of EUR8 million, with the remaining financing coming from the companies themselves. The funding is being provided by the innovation coalition 'Nuclear Energy for the Future', which was launched by Noord-Brabant in 2021 with the goal of leveraging the manufacturing industry and research institutes in the province to accelerate the development of MSRs. The province previously invested in a research facility at DIFFER.

The province said the PROMOSA project must deliver concrete results within two and a half years in the form of working prototypes and a test facility in Brabant. 

"This investment not only offers opportunities for the Brabant manufacturing industry, but also contributes to an affordable and sustainable energy supply in the future," said Provincial Executive Martijn van Gruijthuijsen. "With our strong high-tech sector and research institutions, we have everything we need to be at the forefront of this development. A good example of how we in Brabant are working on smart solutions for the challenges of today and tomorrow."

Thorizon - a spin-off from NRG, which operates the High Flux Reactor in Petten in the Netherlands - is developing a 250 MWt/100 MWe MSR, targeted at large industrial customers and utilities. The company plans to begin constructing its first reactor, Thorizon One, around 2030. Thorizon collaborates with industry leaders such as Orano, Tractebel and EDF, and its project has been selected by the European Commission and the French government under the France 2030 investment plan.

"This European recognition confirms that we in Brabant are leading the way with this innovative technology. By investing in knowledge development now, our companies will be able to play an important role in this growing market," van Gruijthuijsen added.

"Thanks to the support of the province, we can take the first steps from drawing board to realisation of components together with the Brabant manufacturing industry," said Thorizon CEO Kiki Lauwers. "It is great to do this as a start-up with recognised high-tech companies such as VDL Groep and Demcon. In the collaboration with DIFFER we also see that Brabant has world-class knowledge and facilities. We share a pragmatic attitude with these ambitious companies, crucial for rapid innovation. We thank the province for its trust and support and look forward to further collaboration in the region."