Energy firm Delta puts new nuclear power plant plan on back burner

Monday 23 January 2012

Energy group Delta is putting its plans to develop a second nuclear power station in Zeeland on the back burner for at least two to three years.

The company said on Monday the financial crisis, the massive investment needed and over-capacity in the electricity market are behind its decision. The plan will be revived when economic developments are right, local authority-owned Delta said.

News that Delta is revising its plans broke last month, when CEO Peter Boerma stepped down.

Boerma said in an interview with the FD in October that energy prices in the future could be too low to generate a proper return on the investment in a second nuclear power station.

Second licence

The government is keen to award a second nuclear power plant licence before 2015.

The former shareholders of energy company Essent - a number of local and provincial councils – said in September 2010 they are starting procedures to build a new plant. Essent is now owned by RWE.

The government has made it clear that although it supports an expansion of nuclear power, a new power station will have to be funded privately.

The Netherlands has one nuclear power station, at Borssele in Zeeland.

© DutchNews.nl

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