German regional governments and border municipalities are formally rejecting Dutch plans to construct two nuclear power plants in the Eemshaven industrial area, citing safety and environmental conflicts.
The cabinet announced three potential locations for two new nuclear reactors last summer, selecting two sites in Eemshaven alongside one in Terneuzen, Zeeland. Network operator Tennet advised that the Groningen port area is technically the most suitable location for the infrastructure.
Opposition spans multiple levels of German governance, including the state government of Lower Saxony and local municipalities near the Dutch border. Tim Kruithoff of Emden told Editor’s note that his region functions as a model zone for renewable energy development.
“We are a model region for renewable energy, and yet they want to build a nuclear power plant right there,” Kruithoff told NDR.
Additional warnings emerged from the island of Borkum in the Wadden Sea, where the local mayor described the government proposals as unacceptable. NOS reported that the mayor sent an urgent letter to the House of Representatives warning that a nuclear accident would require the complete evacuation of the island.
Local resistance also intensified within the province of Groningen itself, culminating in public demonstrations against the nuclear proposals. Approximately 300 people gathered on the Vismarkt in the city of Groningen to protest the potential development, as reported by Rieks Oijnhausen. Demonstrators included residents who traveled from Borkum to the mainland, reinforcing their opposition with a skeleton placed inside a coffin.
Speakers at the Vismarkt demonstration included Members of Parliament Sandra Beckerman, Julian Bushoff, and Ines Kostić alongside Herman Damveld. Rieks Oijnhausen said that the manifestants directed their protests against gas extraction and radioactive waste storage in addition to the nuclear plant proposals.
The national government faces operational hurdles beyond international pushback, as regional authorities evaluate the viability of the designated sites. Port operator Groningen Seaports concluded that Eemshaven is an ill-suited location because nuclear facilities could disrupt the local energy system and compromise electricity supply security across the Netherlands, according to NOS.
While the cabinet maintains its option to place reactors in Groningen, officials promised to abandon the Eemshaven sites if Terneuzen proves equally suitable for development. Terneuzen enjoys stronger local political support, but Tennet identified technical challenges regarding its connection to the high-voltage grid. The cabinet intends to reach a definitive decision in early December.
The demonstration was relocated from the Grote Markt to the Vismarkt because the municipality failed to account for the construction of the Winterstad event on the main square.
Members of Parliament representing the Socialist Party, PRO, and the Party for the Animals delivered speeches during the afternoon demonstration.
The cabinet evaluated Terneuzen in Zeeland alongside two sites in the Eemshaven, though Tennet anticipates major grid connection bottlenecks in Zeeland.
Related reading