Thorizon demonstration reactor to be built with NRG PALLAS at the EHC in Petten

Thorizon, EPZ, NRG PALLAS, the provinces of Zeeland and North Holland, Impuls Zeeland, ROM InWest and Invest-NL have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to build Europe’s first commercial molten salt reactor in the Netherlands. The Energy & Health Campus (EHC) in North Holland is the intended location for the Thorizon PIONEER nuclear demonstration reactor. The first commercial molten salt reactor, Thorizon-One, is expected to be located in Zeeland. 

In the MoU, NRG PALLAS has expressed its intention to assist Thorizon in realising the demonstrator and commissioning it jointly. The demonstrator aims to carry out essential tests as an intermediate step towards the first energy-generating Small Modular Reactor (SMR). It will also enable further research to be conducted. NRG PALLAS will be responsible for operations and safety under the licence.  

The establishment of the Thorizon demonstration reactor at the Energy & Health Campus (EHC) in Petten represents a significant boost to the campus’s development as an international centre for nuclear innovation. The combination of research facilities, medical isotope production and next-generation reactor development creates a unique ecosystem where knowledge development, testing and application converge. The construction of the demonstrator offers opportunities to validate new nuclear technology and accelerates the development of safe, sustainable and circular energy solutions. The demonstration reactor will play a key role in training new talent and attracting international expertise. 

Maurits Wolleswinkel, CEO of NRG PALLAS: “NRG PALLAS has been a leader in applied research into molten salt technology for many years, and we are proud that Thorizon has emerged as a spin-off from our organisation. We are delighted to be able to utilise our nuclear infrastructure and broad expertise for the realisation of the Thorizon PIONEER demonstrator at the Energy & Health Campus, thereby contributing to CO₂-free energy with minimal nuclear waste streams. The arrival of the Thorizon Demonstrator will be a welcome development at the EHC, not only from an innovation perspective, but also in terms of employment, further applied research and collaborations with knowledge institutions."

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