No nuclear waste in the Drenthe soil. That was the Drenthe political position and it remains so, according to deputy Henk Jumelet on behalf of the Provincial Executive (GS). But within the same GS there are two coalition parties that do want nuclear energy and therefore believe that you should look for a solution for nuclear waste yourself.
The central government wants to bring forward a decision on where we will definitively store our nuclear waste by 75 years. There will be two, possibly four, nuclear power stations in the Netherlands and regional research into small nuclear power stations is underway. So there will also be more nuclear waste, the government reasons. That needs to be saved. Moreover, the European Union obliges every country that produces nuclear waste to find a solution itself. This is possible in collaboration with other countries.
There are major concerns in Gasselte about the disposal of nuclear waste. If it is ever decided to store nuclear waste in a salt dome, the village fears that it will happen there.
Independent nuclear energy researcher Herman Damveld recently concluded, based on current government requirements, that the Gasselte salt dome is the only place where this is possible. Damveld also concludes that the central government will not do anything with the more than 1,600 opinions submitted before the summer about the future disposal of radioactive waste.
In the first half of 2025, there was a consultation round about our nuclear waste from the central government, but this was initially not known to anyone in the region. Until RTV Drenthe published about it. That consultation also included a section about the distant future and possible underground storage. The salt domes and storage forms were mentioned.
But the ministry that is working to respond to all views has already issued a profit warning in advance. There will still be research, decision-making and a participation process when it comes to the final disposal of nuclear waste, so views that have now been submitted on this matter come too early.
Reason for the SP to put nuclear waste on the agenda of the Provincial Council (PS). Because the 2025 consultation process gives little confidence. PvdA member Fenneke Mensen-Maat: “It shows once again that participation processes on these types of topics are often not conducted properly and that leads to distrust among residents.”
Reason for Anke Helder and Charissa Caron-Feiken of Local Interest Gasselte-Kostvlies to keep Drenthe’s politics in front of them: keep your paws tight and stay on the fence. In Gasselte they do not want to store radioactive waste in the underground salt dome and so much space is needed above ground, that is not possible at all. You should not want this in such an area with Natura 2000, water extraction, De Hondsrug Geopark, recreation and tourism, say the Gasselters.
Helder: “In Germany, similar storage locations have led to leaks and collapses.” Caron-Feiken adds: “For these reasons alone, it is absurd to store extremely toxic material in Gasselte. Leakage here has disastrous consequences.”
SP Staten member Greetje Dikkers: “In Asse, Germany, a storage facility in a salt mine is being emptied again because the barrels containing radioactive waste have started to leak. This causes pollution and costs billions. In Gorleben, storage in a salt mine is not going ahead because it cannot be done safely.” Helder: “Choose a future in which Gasselte remains safe, in which the landscape and the community are protected and in which transparent decision-making strengthens the confidence of the residents.”
The left side of the opposition, together with coalition parties PvdA and CDA (CDA is in favor of nuclear energy), is against nuclear energy and nuclear waste in the soil. Irresponsible and the consequences are unknown, they say. The Party for the Animals calls it putting a time bomb in the basement and leaving it to the next residents. Benide Bolumba of GroenLinks: “When I had to clean up my mess as a child, it went in the container and I shouldn’t risk burying it in the garden.”
According to VVD faction leader Kees Vianen, SP gives the impression that it has already been decided that our radioactive waste will be stored in Gasselte in the future. “No locations have been chosen. That process will only start from 2027 and will last 25 years. The SP is sowing unrest. Drenthe does not want nuclear waste in the soil, but the VVD is in favor of nuclear energy. So we have to think about how we are going to wash this pig.”
The BBB is taking it cautiously, but storage of nuclear waste is also open to discussion for them in the future. Member of Parliament Peter Edelman: “It is too far into the future to say no now. But we wonder whether that should be done in the Netherlands. The Finns store nuclear waste deep in granite mountains. Do business with them, they are a reliable partner.”
JA21 does doubt the safety of Drenthe salt domes. Yet the party believes that if you want nuclear energy, and the party does, you should not exclude the North when looking for a solution.
For the PVV, the small amount of Dutch nuclear waste is not a problem, especially if they switch to molten salt reactors in the future. According to PVV member Bert Vorenkamp, there will be even less waste after that.
For deputy Henk Jumelet it is simple: “We have agreed that no nuclear waste will end up in the Drenthe soil. But I do agree with what Vianen from the VVD said.” However, Jumelet indicated earlier this year that you should think about what you want to do with the waste if you want (more) nuclear energy.
Dick Van den Brand of JA21 warned his political colleagues to pay attention: “Our position here is not the choice that the central government will soon make.”