Cranberry Township, PA – Feb. 20, 2024 – Westinghouse Electric Company announced today the signing of a contract with the Dutch government to conduct a Technical Feasibility Study (TFS) assessing the deployment of AP1000® reactors in support of their nuclear new-build strategy.
This comprehensive study will evaluate deployment of two AP1000 nuclear reactors at the Borssele Nuclear Power Station. The TFS represents a significant step forward in the country's ambitious strategy to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, aligning with the European Union's climate goals and the Dutch commitment to carbon-neutral electricity production by 2035.
Michel Heijdra, Director-General for Climate and Energy of the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy (left), with Elias Gedeon, Westinghouse Senior Vice President of Energy Systems Commercial Operations (right)
“We are honored to begin work with the Dutch government on this preliminary yet crucial phase to deliver the world’s most advanced, Generation III+ reactor technology,” said Westinghouse Energy Systems President David Durham. “With our industry-leading, globally-deployed AP1000® technology, Westinghouse is proud to support the Dutch government and offer reliable, affordable, carbon-free electricity and economic benefits to the Netherlands for decades to come.”
The AP1000 reactor is the only operating Generation III+ reactor with fully passive safety systems, modular construction design and the smallest footprint per MWe on the market. In the U.S., at the Vogtle site in Georgia, one AP1000 unit achieved commercial operation in July 2023 and is producing power for the grid, while a second unit recently achieved initial criticality with commercial operation projected during the second quarter of 2024. Four AP1000 reactors are currently setting operational performance and availability records in China with eight additional reactors under construction. Poland selected the AP1000 reactor for its nuclear energy program; Ukraine has made firm commitments for nine AP1000 units, and Bulgaria selected the AP1000 technology for two units at the Kozloduy nuclear site. The technology is also under consideration at multiple other sites in Central and Eastern Europe, the United Kingdom, India and North America.