Second new nuclear power station plan launched

Tuesday 07 September 2010

The former shareholders of energy company Essent - a number of local and provincial councils - have told the environment ministry they are beginning procedures to build a new nuclear power station in the Netherlands, the Financieele Dagblad reports on Tuesday.

The councils are shareholders in Energy Resource Holding, which owns half of Borssele, the Netherlands only nuclear power station. And they say, building a new power plant next to Borssele on the Westerschelde estuary is a logical choice.

ERH director Gerard Uytdewilligen told news agency ANP nuclear power 'fits in with the energy and climate challenges which we in the Netherlands and Europe, face.'

Second bid

Power firm Delta, which owns the other half of Borssele, has similar plans to build a second nuclear power station. Those plans were announced last year.

Sources told the FD that Essent's new owner RWE is behind the ERH drive to build the new nuclear power station. RWE was not allowed to take over Essent's half of Borssele but is fighting that decision in the courts.

There is a moratorium on building new nuclear power plants in the Netherlands at the moment and it is unclear if the next cabinet will back any expansion of nuclear power. A right-leaning cabinet is thought to be a more likely supporter.

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© DutchNews.nl

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