About PALLAS Programme
The PALLAS Programme is an international project organisation that brings together the knowledge and expertise of professionals from more than 30 countries. United by a single goal: to safely and timely realize the PALLAS-reactor.
PALLAS Programme: the merger with NRG
With the construction of the new PALLAS-reactor in Petten, the Netherlands takes an important step towards the future of nuclear technology. The reactor will succeed the currently opearting High Flux Reactor (HFR) and is designed for the production of medical isotopes and conducting nuclear research.
In 2012, the Dutch government expressed its support for this project to maintain the Netherlands' international position in the field of medical isotopes. A year later, the PALLAS-Reactor Preparation Foundation was established to coordinate the realization of the new reactor.
NRG PALLAS
Since 2020, PALLAS and NRG have been working closely together. This collaboration led to a full merger on January 1, 2025. Since then, both organisations have formed a single entity: NRG PALLAS. Together, we are building the nuclear solutions of tomorrow, with safety and reliability as our foundation.
Meet the PALLAS Programme directors
Peter Dijk
Programme Director
Member Executive Committee NRG PALLAS
Arne Siewertsen
Director Finance & Control
Sietsche Eppinga
Construction Director
Onne Wouters
Director Operational Readiness
Marjan Spronk
Manager Support & Facility Management
Maarten Groothuis
Head of Programme Office
Jan van der Marel
Technical Project Director
Funding
The original aim of the PALLAS facilities was to be commercially financed, owned, and operated. In practice, this proved not feasible under conditions acceptable to the government.
To still enable the development of the reactor, the government has provided a number of loans, so that NRG PALLAS was able to obtain permits, and have conversations with possible financiers. In a letter (dated 21 January 2022), minister Ernst Kuipers reports to the Parliament that the key question is whether the Netherlands will continue its leading role in the security of supply of medical isotopes or whether we consider a greater international dependence and uncertainties regarding future availability of medical isotopes to be acceptable and proportionate.
The choice was the first option. In September 2022, the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS) reserved an initial amount of 30 million euros, followed by an annual contribution of 129 million euros. A year later, in September 2023, full financing for the construction of the reactor was confirmed. On July 26, 2024, the European Commission also gave the green light for this investment.
The total costs of the project are estimated at 2.4 billion euros — an investment in the health of millions of patients worldwide
Energy & Health Campus
The new PALLAS-reactor is being built at the Energy & Health Campus (EHC) in Petten — a dynamic environment where more than 1,600 professionals work daily on innovative technologies and nuclear solutions for health and energy. The campus brings together knowledge, research, and production, fostering collaboration and progress.
