In June 2022, NRG-Pallas applied for a construction and operation permit from the Dutch Authority for Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection. The construction license was granted in February 2023, and preparatory work on the foundation began in May 2023. Belgian construction firm Besix, contracted in November 2022, executed the foundation work. The construction pit, measuring 50 by 50 meters and 17.5 meters deep, features 30 concrete-filled diaphragm walls anchored by 380 bored piles, an underwater concrete floor, and a reinforced foundation slab, both 1.5 meters thick.
Nic De Roeck, managing director of Besix Nederland, said: “This unique construction project has brought together all of our expertise and innovative capabilities. Both in terms of technical aspects and the stringent security requirements of a nuclear site, as well as the construction site surrounded by the dune area. All of this introduced additional considerations for how we had to execute the work. I look back with satisfaction on how we carried out this challenging work together with NRG-Pallas and our partners; this was work at a Champions League level.”
Peter Dijk, programme director at NRG-Pallas, stated: “This has laid the foundation for the next phase of construction. The arrival of the Pallas reactor is crucial for the production of medical isotopes.” NRG-Pallas is collaborating with Spanish contractor FCC Construcción and designer ICHOS to prepare for the upcoming construction phase. Last month, FCC Construcción formalized an agreement with NRG-Pallas, outlining the scope, schedule, budget, and technical solutions for the initial reactor building construction.
The site is being reorganized to start work on the reactor’s lower section later this year, alongside preparations for a cooling water pipeline connecting to the North Holland Canal and discharging into the sea. While the Dutch government has allocated €2 billion ($2.2 billion) for the project, approved by the European Commission, a final construction decision is pending. Former Minister Ernst Kuipers advised NRG-Pallas to avoid irreversible steps but continue preparations to prevent delays.
The Pallas reactor, a 55-megawatt tank-in-pool design, will replace the 45-megawatt High Flux Reactor in Petten, operational since 1960. The High Flux Reactor, managed by NRG for the European Union’s Joint Research Centre, produces about 60% of Europe’s and 30% of the world’s medical radioisotopes. Pallas aims to enhance neutron flux efficiency for research and isotope production.
