Borssele Nuclear Plant Commended by IAEA Team for Operational Safety Progress

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has reaffirmed its confidence in the operational safety of the Borssele Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, following a follow-up Operational Safety Review Team (OSART) mission. Conducted from 19 to 23 May 2025, the mission was a continuation of the IAEA’s 2023 peer review at the request of the Dutch government, and again found the plant operator committed to the highest safety standards.

Background and Objectives of the OSART Mission

OSART missions are part of the IAEA’s core efforts to enhance nuclear safety globally. These missions provide independent assessments of a nuclear facility's performance in line with IAEA safety standards. They typically offer recommendations and suggestions for improvement to strengthen the plant’s safety culture and operational effectiveness.

The Borssele NPP, the Netherlands’ only nuclear power reactor, is situated approximately 165 kilometres south of Amsterdam along the Dutch coast. The plant, operated by Elektriciteits-Produktiemaatschappij Zuid-Nederland (EPZ), is a single-unit pressurized water reactor with a net electrical output of 482 megawatts electric (MW(e)). Since its commissioning in 1973, the Borssele plant has been a key contributor to the national energy mix, currently accounting for about 3.2% of the Netherlands' electricity generation.

Originally licensed to operate until 2033, Borssele NPP has been approved to extend its operation until 2054, in accordance with the Dutch government’s request. This extension places additional emphasis on ensuring long-term safety and reliability, a task that the OSART mission was keen to evaluate.

Key Findings and Achievements

The OSART team, comprising two IAEA staff members and two international experts from Slovakia and Sweden, conducted comprehensive evaluations during their five-day mission. Their methodology included in-depth discussions with plant personnel and extensive site walkdowns.

The team noted that EPZ had made significant strides in implementing recommendations from the 2023 OSART mission. Among the commendable achievements were:

• Enhanced Worker Engagement: Plant leadership demonstrated a strong commitment to safety through increased involvement of employees in operational performance initiatives. These actions are seen as critical to nurturing a safety-first culture across the organization.

• Use of Operator-Supportive Aids: Borssele NPP improved the integration of supportive tools and controls to prevent unauthorized use of operating materials, minimizing the likelihood of procedural violations or equipment misuse.

• Radiological Safety Improvements: The plant has made progress in addressing radiological field deficiencies, ensuring issues are promptly resolved to uphold worker and environmental safety.

Yury Martynenko, Senior Nuclear Safety Officer at the IAEA and team leader for the mission, praised the plant’s achievements:

“The plant has already implemented many actions to enhance worker engagement in safety-related initiatives to achieve excellence in operational performance. We recognize the plant’s defined new actions to continue the way towards a culture of continuous improvement.”

Remaining Challenges and Areas for Improvement

While the OSART team acknowledged many of the earlier concerns had been addressed, it also identified several areas where additional effort is required:

• System Health Monitoring and Obsolescence Management: EPZ is encouraged to further develop its programmes for monitoring system integrity and managing ageing components. These measures are essential to preventing performance degradation and extending the plant's lifecycle safely.

• Emergency Preparedness Enhancements: The plant’s existing emergency response strategies need refinement to ensure swift and effective protective actions during potential incidents.

• Radiation Protection Compliance: Continued strengthening of contamination control, dose planning, and radioactive source management is required to meet the comprehensive standards set by the radiation protection programme.

EPZ's Response and Commitment

EPZ Chief Executive Officer Carlo Wolters expressed pride in the results of the follow-up review.

“I am very pleased with the result and especially the way in which this has been achieved with a lot of engagement of our employees across the whole organization. EPZ is very committed to continue the improvement journey to achieve the highest level of excellence in safe and reliable operations of the power plant.”

The OSART team has provided a draft report to EPZ management for factual review. After incorporating the plant's comments, the IAEA will finalize and submit the official report to the Dutch government within three months. This document will guide the plant’s continued efforts to sustain and improve nuclear safety standards in the years ahead.

As the Netherlands considers extending Borssele’s operational timeline to 2054, such international oversight and collaboration ensure that its only nuclear facility remains safe, reliable, and in line with the latest global benchmarks.