• Study examines benefits of Pallas to future power plant construction The study -Building on Experience- examined the potential societal value of the Pallas programme for the construction of future Dutch nuclear power plants. • The Pallas research reactor is being built at Petten to replace the existing High Flux Reactor (HFR), which began operating in September 1960 and supplies about 60% of Europe’s and 30% of the world’s medical radioactive sources. • Pallas will be of the “tank-in-pool” type, with a thermal power of around 55 MW, and able to deploy its neutron flux more efficiently and effectively than the HFR. • Construction was officially launched in September last year. • “Pallas primarily delivers social added value through risk reduction: fewer surprises, fewer redesigns, and fewer iterations with suppliers or the supervisory authority,” SEO said. • “This predictability is important before construction begins, because many choices are made during this phase that later impact lead time and costs.
Article Summaries:
- A Dutch study assessed how the new Pallas research reactor at Petten could lower risks and costs for future nuclear power plants. Pallas, a 55‑MW “tank‑in‑pool” reactor that will replace the 1960s‑era HFR, is expected to reduce construction delays by one to three years, yielding €0.98‑6.41 billion in benefits for two planned 1,000‑1,650 MWe reactors slated for 2035. The analysis highlights that earlier, more predictable construction cuts redesigns, supplier disputes, and delay costs, while also building expertise for regulators, suppliers, and a new workforce. The findings support the Dutch government’s 2021‑22 nuclear strategy, which aims to extend Borssele and build two new reactors, with Borssele seen as the preferred site.
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