As reported by dutchnews, the parliamentary debate on the new fiscal budget of the Netherlands showed majority support for a motion calling on the government to ”look seriously” at building new nuclear power stations, according to a proposal from Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s ruling VVD and the Christian Democrats. The power stations should also be built with government subsidies, the parties argued, giving the example of wind and solar farms. “If you want to build a nuclear power station, you are required to have billions in your bank account to pay for decommissioning, before you have earned a cent,” said VVD leader Klaas Dijkhoff.
The Netherlands has one working nuclear power station, at Borssele in Zeeland, which came online in 1973 and is scheduled to close in 2033. Its only other nuclear power plant was closed in 1997.
The Polish government is committed to replacing its coal 75% dominance, reducing it to 28% in the next 20 years, which it thinks it can do with substantial investments in wind power parks in the Baltic Sea off the Polish coast, but—unlike neighboring Germany which plans to exit from nuclear by the end of 2022 — Poland is also pursuing nuclear power.
