Full Financing For PALLAS Reactor Announced By Dutch Minister

The Dutch Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport Ernst Kuipers announced yesterday that there is full financing for the construction of the PALLAS reactor.

This is a major step towards realising the new facility in Petten, North Holland.

The construction of a new reactor would be fundamental for many patients with often life-threatening diseases, such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases. These patients depend on their treatment and diagnosis of medical isotopes produced always in Petten, in the ageing High Flux Reactor.

On the world market for medical isotopes and nuclear technological research, the Netherlands holds a strong position, being the world’s largest supplier of molybdenum-99/technetium-99m.

This decision is confirmation that the PALLAS reactor is of strategic importance for the Netherlands and Europe. It will strengthen the security of medical isotopes supply for nuclear medicine. For patients, it means faster access to innovative (cancer) treatments.

said Bertholt Leeftink, CEO NRG|PALLAS.

Furthermore, the new facility will contribute to nuclear technological research and will be essential for maintaining the nuclear knowledge infrastructure. NRG|PALLAS has specific expertise in nuclear energy technology, nuclear safety, radiation protection and radioactive waste management.

On 15th February 2023, the Dutch regulator Nuclear and Radiation Protection Authority (ANVS) granted the Nuclear Energy Act licence for the construction of the PALLAS reactor. The preparatory work for the plant, which will replace the ageing high-flux reactor (HFR) at Petten, began in November 2022.

Read the full PALLAS Press Release.

Nuclear medicine and medical isotopes benefit thousands of patients every day in current clinical practice and have great potential for future clinical challenges.

This year, ENS, together with Euratom Supply Agency (ENS Member), organised the event Beating Cancer – turning the tide with medical isotopes, which gave us the opportunity to learn more about those amazing developments and to discuss the challenges ahead.

You can find its recording and all materials in our Special Newsletter.