Industrial company VDL will make parts for the new nuclear reactor in Petten. VDL, whose head office is in Eindhoven, helps with the production of medical isotopes, radioactive substances that are used for, for example, the treatment of cancer.
According to the company, it is a large order – it would involve ‘millions of euros’. For that money, the Belgian branch of the group, VDL KTI in Mol, will mainly work on the assignment. A so-called reactor pool is being built, a kind of bath filled with water that cools the installation and protects employees against radiation.
VDL will also make pressure vessels for the temporary storage of radioactive water. The order will take approximately two to years. The new nuclear reactor in Petten, North Holland, should be completed around 2030.
Production of medicines
In July this year, the European Commission approved a subsidy of 2 billion euros that the Netherlands wants to invest in the construction of the power plant. According to Brussels, the nuclear reactor contributes to the production of essential medicines for the European market.
“We are proud that with our knowledge of industrialization, system integration and our manufacturing competencies we can supply critical parts for the new nuclear reactor,” says VDL President and CEO Willem van der Leegte. “It is great that we can contribute in this way to the medical treatment of tens of thousands of people every day. This order is also a great step in the nuclear sector.”