News

The European Commission has approved the Dutch government's plan to invest money in the construction of the new nuclear reactor (PALLAS) in Petten, North Holland. This means that the current reactor in Petten (High Flux Reactor, HFR) will definitely be replaced, and it is a confirmation that the PALLAS-reactor is of strategic importance for the Netherlands and for Europe. The security of supply of medical isotopes for nuclear medicine will be strengthened. For patients, it means faster access to innovative (cancer) treatments.

Experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) visited the High Flux Reactor (HFR) from 3 to 5 July as part of a follow-up mission on 'Continued Safe Operation'.

NRGIPALLAS and Curium have signed a long-term agreement to expand the current cooperation to include the production of lutetium-177 (Lu-177). The treatment isotope Lutetium will be added to the products already produced in Petten. This will enable Curium to supply about 70,000 doses of Lu-177 annually, which will help about 14,000 patients per year.

NRG|PALLAS, in cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), proudly announces the Nuclear Innovation Conference 2024 (NIC2024). This event is aimed at shaping the future of nuclear energy through collaborative exchange and innovation.

IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi visits the High Flux Reactor and the PALLAS construction site. Worldwide each day more than 30,000 patients are helped with the medical isotopes produced by the reactor. To secure the production and availability of the essential ingredients of nuclear medicine, NRG|PALLAS is preparing the construction of the new PALLAS reactor that is expected to be operational around 2030. DG Rafael Mariano Grossi, IAEA: “I’m honoured to witness of the start of a new nuclear era in the Netherlands with the construction of the PALLAS-reactor, which will help save many lives around the world.” Bertholt Leeftink, CEO NRG|PALLAS: “To secure the supply of medical isotopes after 2030 the realisation of the PALLAS-reactor is of vital importance.”

Every year, the Province is informed by NRG|PALLAS about the progress of the PALLAS Programme. This year, members of the Provincial States visited the Energy & Health Campus (EHC) in Petten on 25 March 2024.

On 7 December, Esther Rommel, representative of the Province North Holland, officially opened the new FIELD-LAB facility in Petten. FIELD-LAB will help accelerate the development of new nuclear medicines for the treatment of cancer. During the opening, Maarten van der Weijden, Olympic and world champion in open water swimming, gave a presentation.

Minister Kuipers of Health, Welfare and Sport announced today that there is full financing for the construction of the PALLAS-reactor in the North Holland town of Petten. This is a major step toward realising the new PALLAS-reactor in Petten. With this, the Netherlands will maintain its world position in the production of medical isotopes. Isotopes are essential ingredients for nuclear medicine, for diagnostics and therapy of patients with life-threatening diseases such as cancer.

Today, the High Flux Reactor started up after a maintenance shutdown and the production of medical isotopes resumed. During this maintenance shutdown, an anomaly was detected in the reactor basin. Safety is top priority and therefore additional investigations were carried out before restarting. This investigation showed that the reactor could be safely put into operation and with the permission granted by the Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Authority (ANVS), the reactor resumed its social function today and over 30,000 patients worldwide can rely on medical isotopes from Petten every day.

In the past few years, the demand for irradiation services in the HFR has increased significantly. Especially in the beginning of 2023, the reactor in Petten produced record volumes of medical isotopes such as lutetium-177.

Today, Tractebel and NRG|PALLAS signed a Memorandum of Understanding to cooperate to support the new-build of nuclear power plants in the Netherlands. The signing was held at the Embassy of Belgium in The Hague in the presence of the Belgian Ambassador Her Excellency Mrs Anick van Calster - on the sidelines of the Belgium - Netherlands Nuclear Summit.  At the picture from left Joost van den Broek, director Consultancy & Services NRG|PALLAS, Bertholt Leeftink CEO NRG|PALLAS, Her Excellency Mrs Anick van Calste; Philippe Van Troeye, CEO, Tractebel; Denis Dumont, Chief Global Nuclear Officer, Tractebel.