If the Netherlands is to have a second nuclear power plant, it should be placed next to the existing plant at Borssele in Zeeland, energy company Delta said on Thursday evening.

Delta, which is joint owner of the Borssele plant, hopes to make a formal application to build a new plant by the end of next year. First it needs environment ministry permission to begin the planning application process.
If the project gets the final green light, building work could start in 2013 and the plant could be operational by 2018, news agency ANP said.