A consortium led by Amentum has been awarded a contract from the Netherlands Ministry of Climate Policy & Green Growth to provide programme management and technical solutions for planning and development of nuclear newbuild. The two-year framework agreement, valued at a maximum of $207m, includes options for three additional one-year extensions. In the initial phase, the consortium will oversee site characterisation, technology selection, and planning work scope for site enabling, utility connections and transportation links.
The NEXUS-NL consortium comprises US-based Amentum, Tractebel (part of the French Engie Group) and Netherlands based Arcadis (engineering and consultancy), and nuclear research organisation NRG PALLAS. It will work on the development of up to two new gigawatt-scale NPPs in line with the Netherlands’ strategies for decarbonisation and energy security and will support the Nuclear Energy Organisation Netherlands (NEO NL), which will be established in February.
In October 2025, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Climate Policy & Green Growth Sophie Hermans told the Netherlands House of Representatives that the new state-owned company (NEO NL) “will contract with the builder and will also operate the new plants”. NEO NL “will take the form of a ‘policy participation’, with the Ministry of Climate & Green Growth as the sole shareholder. At least €45m ($52m) was made available for its establishment. “Our country cannot survive without nuclear energy,” Hermans said. “With the proposed establishment of NEO NL … we are now taking a historic step towards a future with reliable nuclear energy.
In December 2021, the new coalition government of the Netherlands decided to prioritise nuclear energy as part of its climate and energy policies. Two new 1000-1650 MWe projects were to be completed by about 2035 to provide 9-13% of electricity production. The Cabinet of Ministers announced in December 2022 that the Borssele NPP site was the most suitable location for the new reactors.
Westinghouse, KHNP and EDF all submitted proposals and undertook feasibility studies. In March 2025, Dutch nuclear regulator ANVS (De Autoriteit Nucleaire Veiligheid en Stralingsbescherming) announced that a review of the feasibility studies submitted by the three vendors suggests that all three designs would meet necessary safety requirements although KHNP had withdrawn from the project.
Commenting on the new contract, the Ministry of Climate Policy & Green Growth said in a statement: “We are confident that the NEXUS-NL consortium can perform the role as Technical Support Organisation excellently due to its extensive expertise and experience, both in the international nuclear domain and in the Dutch context.”
Amentum will contribute its expertise in managing large nuclear new-build programmes, including setting up a project management office, technology selection, design and engineering expertise and commercial and procurement strategies. Arcadis will focus on siting studies, conventional licensing, and permitting. Tractebel will contribute its owner’s engineering experience to define technical requirements for technology selection and will lead front-end engineering design studies. NRG PALLAS will offer specialised Dutch nuclear expertise from the PALLAS-reactor programme, particularly on key interfaces between nuclear and conventional licensing.
The Netherlands currently has the one nuclear power reactor, at Borssele, which generates about 3% of the country’s electricity. The 482 MWe pressurised water reactor was connected to the grid in 1973 and is scheduled to close in 2033. However, the government has requested it remain in operation until 2054 and says it will consider acquiring a stake in the plant if its operating life is extended.
