Last year, the Dutch Province of Limburg started an alliance in which, besides the local government, research institutes, small nuclear reactor (SMR) developers, utilities, industrial customers and funders cooperated. With this "Limburg SMR alliance" Limburg  tried to lead the way towards an SMR in Limburg. The preferred site for a first SMR would be Chemelot, a chemical industry cluster near Geleen. Chemelot's director was also in favor, initially. Last month, however, a report from the alliance revealed that Chemelot had abandoned its ambition for a small nuclear reactor: "Chemelot realised that it is undesirable as a location due to the mutual risks of chemical plants, combined with the safety requirements of an SMR." The alliance is now considering its options.
In other Dutch provinces SMRs also have been suggested an option for decarbonizing chemical plants - notorious large energy squanderers. However, the safety concerns now raised by the Chemelot management will not only be typical to the Geleen industry. The SMR-world will probably not like to admit it, its incompatibility with chemical plants seems to be another big dent in the outlook for SMRs.