An advanced test facility for molten salt reactor technologies has been opened at the High Tech Campus in Eindhoven, in the province of North Brabant in the Netherlands. The launch took place during a visit by the European Commissioner for Climate, Net Zero & Clean Growth, Wopke Hoekstra, in the presence of a Dutch government delegation and representatives of the Province of North Brabant and industry.
The facility was formally opened by Hoekstra and Thorizon CEO Kiki Lauwers. The ceremony was attended by State Secretary for Climate and Green Growth Jo-Annes de Bat, Provincial Executive Member for Economic Affairs Martijn van Gruijthuijsen and technology leader Peter Wennink.
“The energy transition is one of the greatest challenges facing Europe and the world today,” Hoekstra said. “Nuclear energy must be part of the energy mix. Molten salt reactors are an important step towards stable, reliable and clean energy for Europe, helping to safeguard Europe’s energy independence. It is inspiring to see such innovation taking place in the Netherlands.”
The test facility is being developed through the PROMOSA project. In January 2025, Brabant-based technology companies Demcon, Thorizon and VDL Group signed a project agreement to develop and test technology for MSRs. The PROMOSA project focuses on demonstrating and validating the manufacturability, safety, and functionality of critical components and non-nuclear (sub)systems of these reactors. All components will be tested in high-temperature molten salt, without the use of nuclear fuel. The work is to be carried out in collaboration with the Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research (DIFFER), a leading research institute in Eindhoven in Noord-Brabant province.
The DIFFER institute, which undertakes research on fusion energy and chemical energy, supports MSR development through its DICE (DIFFER Irradiation-Corrosion Experiment) research facility.
In March 2025, North Brabant agreed to contribute 50% of the total project costs of €8m ($9.3m), with the companies providing the rest. The funding comes from the innovation coalition ‘Nuclear Energy for the Future’, launched by Noord-Brabant in 2021 to leverage the manufacturing industry and research institutes in the province to accelerate MSR development.
The PROMOSA project forms part of the Nuclear Innovation Coalition, established by the Province of North Brabant in 2022 to strengthen collaboration between governments, companies and knowledge institutions and to build a leading position in safe, next generation nuclear energy.
Thorizon – a spin-off from NRG, which operates the High Flux Reactor in Petten in the Netherlands – is developing a 250 MWt/100 MWe MSR, targeted at large industrial customers and utilities. The company plans to begin constructing its first reactor, Thorizon One, around 2030. Thorizon collaborates with industry leaders such as Hyundai Engineering and Construction, Orano, VDL Groep, Tractebel, EPZ and NRG PALLAS. Its project has been selected by the European Commission and the French government under the France 2030 investment plan.
Thorizon said the test facility “represents a major milestone on the path towards building its first reactor, the Thorizon One, which has been designated by the European Commission as one of eight flagship projects for the accelerated development of small modular reactors”.
The VDL Groep, founded in 1953, operates in 21 countries and employs approximately 13,500 people worldwide. The group consists of more than 100 operating companies, each with its own area of expertise, working closely together. Their activities are organized around high tech, mobility, energy, infratech and foodtech.
DEMCON develops, manufactures and supplies technology and innovative products. With more than 1,100 employees, the DEMCON Group operates from locations in Best, Delft, Enschede, Groningen, Leiden, Maastricht, Scheveningen, Münster (Germany), San Jose (United States), Singapore and Tokyo (Japan). The company combines creativity and engineering expertise to solve complex technological and societal challenges.
