Netherlands: first electricity generated with MOX fuel

The Borssele nuclear power plant operated by the Dutch utility EPZ has just started generating electricity for the first time from MOX fuel supplied by AREVA.

EPZ was licensed by the government in 2013 to load 8 MOX assemblies in its 500 MWe nuclear reactor in 2014, and 12 assemblies per year thereafter, i.e. 40% of the assemblies loaded in the reactor.

The fuel was fabricated in 2013 at the MELOX plant in southern France with recycled plutonium from used fuel treatment operations performed at AREVA’s la Hague plant.

By using MOX fuel, EPZ will enjoy the full economic and environmental advantages associated with used fuel recycling.

For more than 35 years, EPZ has turned to AREVA to recycle its used fuel at the la Hague plant, which has processed 375 metric tons to date.  

The Netherlands thus becomes the seventh country to use or have used MOX fuel in its nuclear reactors, along with Belgium, France, Germany, Japan, Switzerland and the United States.