Country profile: Netherlands

Summary figures for 2017

The following information is from the NEA publication Nuclear Energy Data, the annual compilation of official statistics and country reports on nuclear energy in OECD member countries.

Country Number of nuclear power plants connected to the grid Nuclear electricity generation (net TWh) Nuclear percentage of total electricity supply
Netherlands 1 3.2 3.5
OECD Europe127774.421.7
OECD Total3111 856.817.6
NEA Total 352 2 062.6 17.9

Country report

Nearly seven months after elections on 15 March 2017 in the Netherlands, a new government was formed after the leaders of the four parties agreed on a centre-right policy programme. The Prime Minister, Mark Rutte, presented a four-party coalition to Members of Parliament on 9 October 2017, 208 days after the liberal People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) party won the March elections. The new coalition consists of the liberal party VVD, the Democrats 66 (D66) liberals and two Christian parties: the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) and the Christian Union. The new cabinet took office on 26 October 2017.

The coalition agreement is ambitious and "green" when considered from the perspective of the climate and energy programme. The aim is to reach a CO2 reduction of 49% by 2030. Rutte III will shape the transition by inter alia closing down coal-fired power plants (before 2030), introducing a carbon tax in the electricity sector and reducing the demand for gas, while focusing on electric transport, investment in sustainable wind and solar energy and the capture and storage of CO2. The cabinet will aim to reach a climate and energy agreement with stakeholders in civil society regarding additional measures to be taken and introduce a climate law. Although energy and climate change are central topics in the coalition agreement (and the central aim of CO2 reduction), there is no mention of the role of nuclear energy in the Netherlands or of the ownership of URENCO.

Source: Nuclear Energy Data 2018

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