Publication Laka-library:
Report from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament
“Operation of the High Flux Reactor in the period 2020-23” (2025)
| Author | EUROPEAN COMMISSION |
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1-01-8-51-35.pdf |
| Date | September 2025 |
| Classification | 1.01.8.51/35 (PETTEN RESEARCH LOCATION - HFR) |
| Front | 
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From the publication:
INTRODUCTION This staff working document is a companion document to the Commission’s report on ‘Operation of the High Flux Reactor in the years 2020-23, sent to the Council and the European Parliament. The high flux reactor (HFR), located in Petten (The Netherlands), is one of the most powerful multi-purpose materials-testing reactors in the world. The reactor is of the tank-in-pool type, light water cooled and moderated, which is operated at 45 MW. The HFR is used by the Commission in accordance with the Petten Site agreement between Euratom and The Netherlands of 25 July 1961. The reactor provides a variety of irradiation location possibilities (reactor core, reflector region and in the poolside). Horizontal beam tubes are available for research with neutrons as well as gamma irradiation facilities. Furthermore, fully equipped onsite hot cell laboratories make it possible to carry out post irradiation examinations (PIEs). The research fields are nuclear materials and fuel science with the aim to improve the safety of nuclear reactors (both fission and fusion), investigations on reactor ageing and life management, research on advanced fuel cycles and waste management. The HFR acts also as a training facility hosting doctoral and post- doctoral fellows which perform their research activities through national or European Programmes. The reactor is also used for the commercial production of radioisotopes. The close cooperation between the European Commission Joint Research Centre (JRC) and the Dutch Nuclear Research and Consultancy Group (NRG) has led to a unique system of managing the HFR, involving both organizations. The European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) owns the plant (which is leased from the Dutch state for 99 years) but is operated by NRG. As of February 2005, the NRG has become the holder of the operation license granted under the Dutch Nuclear Energy Law. Over the last six decades, the HFR has been operated and partly financed through Supplementary Research Programmes which were regularly discussed and unanimously approved by the European Council based on Article 7 of Euratom Treaty. On 29 June 2020, the Council adopted a four-year (2020-23) Supplementary Research Programme for the HFR (1) to be implemented by the JRC. The contribution for the 2020-2023 Supplementary Research Programme was financed entirely out of contributions from France and the Netherlands, through the CEA and NRG, respectively, with a total budget of EUR 27,854,000 in the four-year period. This amount included the provisions for the annual contributions to the decommissioning fund. (1) OJ L211 of 3.7.2020, p. 14