The Netherlands wants to build two new nuclear power plants in the Dutch town of Borssele, some 25 km from the border with Belgium to start supplying electricity by 2035.
Borssele is located in the province of Zeeland, and was a more or less expected choice as the Netherlands' only other working nuclear power plant is also located there, RTL reports. Due to the energy crisis, that plant is being kept open longer, meaning the infrastructure to run a nuclear power plant is already present.
Building new nuclear power plants is a "long-term, complex and costly process," Dutch Climate and Energy Minister Rob Jetten said earlier this year, adding that it is important to start initial preparations as soon as possible. However, "comprehensive decision-making" with "careful considerations" will still be needed.
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The new power plants should start operating in 2035 at the latest, and the Dutch Government will reportedly also contribute to the construction costs, several local newspapers report. On Friday, the authorities are expected to officially confirm the news at the Council of Ministers.
The construction of the new power plants was already announced in the coalition agreement. For the first steps, €5 billion has been released.
The government wants to opt for two so-called 'generation III+ reactors,' which should provide 11% to 15% nuclear energy of the total electricity supply in the Netherlands from 2035.
