Why The Netherlands should seize the nuclear moment

The Wennink report is clear: without reliable, affordable energy, the Netherlands' earning capacity, innovation power, and strategic relevance are at risk. In this blog we explain why rapidly deploying nuclear energy is essential and that coordinated action is needed to turn policy momentum into deployment.

The report calls on the government on nuclear energy specifically to "actively encourage energy innovation, from research to demonstration and large-scale implementation" and to act as a launching customer to accelerate breakthroughs. 

The Coalition Agreement 2026-2030 builds on this direction, committing to strengthening the nuclear cluster, accelerating the SMR program, supporting maritime nuclear innovations, and earmarking approximately EUR13.5 billion from the Climate Fund for the construction of at least four new nuclear power plants. European Commission President von der Leyen has since reinforced the momentum, calling the abandonment of nuclear energy a strategic mistake. The ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East underscore the point—a stark reminder of how vulnerable Europe remains when it depends on volatile global energy markets.

The report notes that SMRs "could eventually provide green, decentralized energy solutions that ease pressure on the power grid" and "create reliable sources of clean energy for ships and data centers." At the same time, it is realistic: SMRs will not reduce energy costs in the short term. This makes it all the more important to act now. And the Netherlands is moving. NEO NL, the government's dedicated nuclear energy vehicle, was incorporated in February 2026. The Tweede Kamer has adopted motions calling for an SMR acceleration agenda, pilot identification by Q3 2026, and the mapping of legal and market barriers for pension fund investment in nuclear projects. 

Four use cases

1. Energy security: More than 40 countries now have plans to expand nuclear energy, and construction levels are at multi-decade highs. Renewables such as solar and wind are indispensable but cannot meet the demand for 24/7 carbon-free electricity on their own. SMRs offer firm, dispatchable baseload power that complements renewables and reduces dependence on imported fossil fuels.

2. Industry: Industrial competitiveness across Europe is under pressure from limited energy capacity and high prices. The Wennink report is blunt on this point: strategic sectors are leaving for countries with lower energy costs, and Dutch chemicals production has fallen by more than 20% over the past three years. The report stresses that "the goal of the energy transition is to transform our industry, not phase it out." SMRs can be sited near industrial demand centers, providing dedicated power and process heat to manufacturing, chemicals, and heavy industry. For the Netherlands, with its ambition to retain strategically vital sectors such as refining, steel, and chemicals, this is an economic imperative.

3. AI and data centers: There is no AI without energy. IAEA Director General Grossi has framed this as the partnership between "atoms and algorithms." Certain hyperscalers have moved beyond a renewables-only strategy toward hybrid systems anchored by nuclear baseload. The Wennink report proposes an “AI Gigafactory”, building on the existing AI Factory (NLAIF) in Groningen. The report identifies computing capability as a "basic strategic facility" for the Netherlands' earning capacity, healthcare, energy, and armed forces. Yet digital infrastructure is under severe pressure in the Netherlands. This kind of infrastructure will require exactly the kind of firm, scalable power that SMRs can provide.

4. Maritime: Micro-SMRs (1-100 MWth) may power the shipping industry, which accounts for approximately 3% of global emissions. Dutch players are at the forefront, and historical precedents exists: the Netherlands concluded a bilateral treaty with Germany in 1968 for the nuclear merchant ship N.S. Otto Hahn. The IMO is revising its outdated regulations for nuclear-powered merchant ships.

The construction and delivery challenge

The technology is there but timely delivery at scale is the challenge. Construction costs may be expected to decrease at scale. Success depends on standardizing designs, moving toward fleet approvals, and rebuilding supply chains. We are in the age of electricity—that was the overriding message at the IAEA International Symposium on Artificial Intelligence and Nuclear Energy in Vienna in December 2025—and it carries a massive construction challenge.

Sweden offers a compelling example. The Swedish government has committed substantial support for new nuclear new builds, including lifting its cap on reactor numbers, opening new sites, and providing state credit guarantees. 

A robust way forward for Europe would be leveraged reviews, where a design approval by the nuclear safety authority in one jurisdiction could be relied upon by authorities in another. The OECD/NEA "Bridging Law and Technology" workshop in Stockholm, co-organized by the Swedish government, identified this "reliance-based approach" as a key pathway for progress. 

What stakeholders should prioritize

Making this work requires governments and regulators to accelerate permissions and harmonize regulations; developers and contractors to invest in standardization and supply-chain readiness; and investors and financiers to engage with emerging structures and risk-sharing models that are making nuclear increasingly bankable.

Most legal frameworks were designed for stationary reactors licensed for a specific location. SMRs may require more flexibility. The Wennink report's call to remove unnecessary regulatory gold-plating aligns well with this objective. At EU level, the European Commission has launched the European Industrial Alliance on SMRs to accelerate deployment across member states.

The Netherlands has a window of opportunity. The Wennink report provides the strategic rationale, the coalition agreement provides the political direction, and Europe provides the momentum. Nuclear energy and AI/data centers may well be the engine of the 21st century. Now is the time to act.