Nuclear power may play a role in the Netherlands’ drive to curb CO2 emissions from 2030, but only if the government contributes to the costs and there is public support for the plans, a report by accountancy group KPMG and commissioned by MPs has shown.

The report (Dutch only) says the provinces of North Brabant and Zeeland are open to a nuclear power plant on their territory, but financial guarantees would be needed from the government.

Support for new nuclear is especially high in the municipality of Borssele in Zeeland, the location of the country’s only nuclear power station, the single-unit Borssele, which began commercial operation in 1973 and is scheduled to shut down permanently in 2033. In 2020, the plant produced 3.3% of the Netherlands’ electricity, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The report says Zeeland residents are accustomed to the nuclear station and see a new one as an opportunity to maintain high-quality local employment and create new jobs.