DutchNews.nl - DutchNews.nl brings daily news from The Netherlands in English

17 October 2025
Newsletter Donate Advertise
  • News
  • Life in the Netherlands
  • Jobs
  • Podcast
  • About us
  • Search
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Election 2025
  • Art and culture
  • Sport
  • Europe
  • Society
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Housing
  • Education
  • News
    • Home
    • Economy
    • Election 2025
    • Art and culture
    • Sport
    • Europe
    • Society
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
    • Education
  • Life in the Netherlands
    • Latest
    • Opinion
    • Books
    • Travel
    • 10 Questions
    • Learning Dutch
    • Inburgering with DN
    • Food & Drink
    • Ask us anything
  • Jobs
  • Podcast
  • About us
    • Team
    • Donate
    • Advertise
    • Writing for Dutch News
    • Contact us
    • Privacy
    • Newsletter
  • Search

VVD joins CDA in call to speed up nuclear power progress

November 4, 2024
The existing nuclear power plant at Borssele. Photo: A Nagel via Wikimedia Commons

Opposition party CDA and coalition party VVD are calling on the cabinet to speed up the construction of more nuclear power stations through a new “nuclear industry policy” to be outlined on Monday.

As part of this, small modular reactors, which provide industry clusters with CO2-free energy to help achieve climate goals, would have to be up and running by 2035, CDA leader Henri Bontenbal and VVD MP Silvio Erkens said.

A majority of MPs are in favour of doubling the number of existing nuclear power plants in the Netherlands to four but “the new cabinet is not exactly falling over itself to do something about it,” Bontenbal told the Telegraaf, citing “cumbersome procedures”.

“In Zeeland frustration is running high because the cabinet can’t make up its mind. I really expect more ambition, including in the area of SMRs. Our plan is meant to bring that home to the cabinet,” he said.

The two MPs point to the European Commission which has pledged to have the first SMRs operational by 2030.

At the current rate of progress, they argue, it will 2040 at least before the Netherlands has a single one.

The VVD and CDA want the Netherlands to have at least one SMR up and ready before 2035 so the Netherlands can “join the European lead group”. More money should go into research and innovation, they said.

Chemical giant Dow, with factories in Terneuzen, Dordrecht and Delfzijl, has already said it would be interested in entering a public-private partnership, the company told the paper.

In March some 40 international environmental groups protested in Brussels  about the construction of more nuclear reactors, saying it is an “illusion” to think that nuclear energy, with its risk of serious environmental damage, is the way to solving the climate crisis.

Share this article
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Copy URL
Energy Europe Nuclear power
Thank you for donating to DutchNews.nl.

We could not provide the Dutch News service, and keep it free of charge, without the generous support of our readers. Your donations allow us to report on issues you tell us matter, and provide you with a summary of the most important Dutch news each day.

Make a donation
Latest
Show more
Three teenagers investigated for suspected spying for Russia
Election watch: D66 on the rise, Yesilgöz says no
Amsterdam's PvdA branch wants to ban tourists from coffeeshops
The magic of Egypt: mummies take centre stage in Leiden
Saturday will be sunny, but the grey skies will return next week
NewsHomeEconomyElection 2025Art and cultureSportEuropeSocietyEnvironmentHealthHousingEducation
Life in the NetherlandsLatestOpinionBooksTravel10 QuestionsLearning DutchInburgering with DNFood & DrinkAsk us anything
About usTeamDonateAdvertiseWriting for Dutch NewsContact usPrivacyNewsletter
© 2025 DutchNews | Cookie settings

Help us to keep providing you with up-to-date news about this month's Dutch general election.

Our thanks to everyone who donates regularly to Dutch News. It costs money to produce our daily news service, our original features and daily newsletters, and we could not do it without you.

If you have not yet made a donation, or did so a while ago, you can do so via these links

The DutchNews.nl team

Donate now

Dutchnews Survey

Please help us making DutchNews.nl a better read by taking part in a short survey.

Take part now