On May 20, 2024, the Dutch government unveiled its strategic blueprint for energy development, which aims to diversify and become independent in its energy mix by significantly promoting the growth of offshore gas extraction and nuclear energy production in order to reduce over-dependence on Russian gas supplies.

Dutch government officials have made it clear that we are firmly committed to the international climate targets we have committed to, that we plan to extend the operational life of the nuclear reactor at Borselle beyond 2033, and that we are proceeding with the construction of two new reactors already planned. In addition, we also plan to add two new nuclear reactors and actively explore public-private partnership models to build multiple small reactors, so as to further promote the optimization and sustainable development of the energy mix.

After detailed data analysis, the Netherlands has a solid foundation in the field of nuclear energy and currently operates a 482,000 kW pressurized water reactor unit. The stable operation of this unit not only makes an important contribution to the energy supply of the Netherlands, but also demonstrates the maturity and strength of the Netherlands in nuclear energy technology. In 2021, the PWR unit will account for 3.1% of the country's total electricity generation, which is a relatively low proportion but shows the importance of nuclear energy in the Dutch energy mix.

With the adjustment of the energy structure and the increasing demand for clean energy, the Dutch government has decided to accelerate the development of nuclear energy. According to the latest plan, two new nuclear reactors will be commissioned in the Netherlands. When the two new units come into operation, they are expected to bring about a qualitative leap in the Netherlands' energy supply. It is predicted that when the two new units are fully operational, the Netherlands' nuclear power generation will be significantly increased and is expected to account for 11 to 15 percent of the country's total power generation. This significant increase not only means that the Netherlands will further strengthen its dependence on nuclear energy, but also marks a solid step forward in the Netherlands' clean energy transition and the fight against climate change.Editor/Zhang Liyuan