Thorizon and Dutch Partners Secure the Netherlands' First Grant Dedicated to Nuclear Innovation

Thorizon, together with VDL Groep, NRG PALLAS, TU Delft and TNO, has been awarded a EUR 4 million grant under MOOI Kernenergie.

Amsterdam, July 16th 2026 - Industry, data centres and critical infrastructure increasingly need power that is clean, reliable and available around the clock, alongside solar and wind. Advanced reactors like molten salt reactors, modular and inherently safe by design, are emerging as one of the most promising ways to deliver it. Thorizon, together with VDL Groep, NRG PALLAS, TU Delft and TNO, has been awarded a EUR 4 million grant under MOOI Kernenergie, the Dutch government’s first national subsidy scheme dedicated specifically to nuclear research. Over the next three years, the consortium will develop and validate the manufacturing technologies, materials and reactor components needed to bring Thorizon's molten salt reactor closer to commercial deployment.

"Europe needs abundant, clean energy to strengthen its competitiveness and strategic autonomy," said Kiki Lauwers, CEO of Thorizon. "This project demonstrates what is possible when industry, research institutes and government work together. By combining world-class expertise in manufacturing, nuclear research and materials science, we are accelerating the technologies needed to bring Europe's first molten salt reactor to reality. We are grateful to the Ministries and all consortium partners for their trust and support."

Minister for Energy Infrastructure and Nuclear Affairs Jo-Annes de Bat: "The selected projects demonstrate that the Netherlands has the expertise, entrepreneurial spirit and innovative strength to play a leading role in the nuclear technologies of the future. Investing in research and innovation is essential for our economy, our energy supply and our strategic autonomy. Moreover, reactor development, fuel supply and radioactive waste management must progress in parallel: without a solution for radioactive waste disposal, there can be no sustainable and future-proof nuclear value chain."

Validating the heart of the reactor

At the heart of every Thorizon reactor are replaceable cartridges containing the fuel salt. Unlike conventional reactor cores, they are designed to be manufactured, transported and replaced as modular units. The project will deliver the first full-scale non-nuclear prototype while validating manufacturing methods, critical interfaces and material performance through corrosion testing in molten salt up to 650°C. The resulting data will support future licensing and industrialisation.

A joint effort across the Dutch nuclear ecosystem

The consortium combines expertise in reactor engineering, high-tech manufacturing, nuclear research, materials science and advanced instrumentation, creating one of Europe's strongest collaborations in advanced reactor development. Together, the partners are strengthening the Dutch nuclear innovation ecosystem and building critical capabilities for Europe's future nuclear supply chain. Project activities will take place at Thorizon, VDL and the specialised facilities of NRG PALLAS, TU Delft and TNO across the Netherlands and Belgium.

Part of a wider roadmap

The project enables a key milestone in Thorizon's roadmap towards the PIONEER demonstrator at NRG PALLAS in Petten and the first commercial Thorizon One reactor planned for Zeeland. By validating critical technologies ahead of deployment, the project reduces technical risk, supports future licensing and manufacturing, and strengthens the Dutch high-tech and nuclear supply chain for next-generation reactors.

‍About Thorizon

Thorizon, originally a spin-off from NRG, is an ambitious deep-tech scale-up with offices in Amsterdam and Lyon. The company develops small modular molten salt reactors designed to deliver clean, reliable energy at competitive cost. Its walk-away safe reactor operates at low pressure and uses long-lived nuclear waste as fuel, a step toward true circularity in nuclear energy. 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, and is recognized as a flagship project for Dutch competitiveness in the Wennink report. www.thorizon.com‍ ‍‍ ‍

About VDL Groep

Strength through cooperation. That is the foundation of VDL Groep, the international industrial family-owned company headquartered in the Brainport Eindhoven region. Founded in 1953, the company has been led by the third generation of the Van der Leegte family since 2017. VDL Groep 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 VDL’s five worlds: high tech, mobility, energy, infratech and foodtech. In 2025, VDL Groep achieved a combined annual revenue of €4.064 billion. www.vdlgroep.com

About NRG PALLAS

NRG PALLAS develops and delivers medical products and contributes to energy solutions. With the High Flux Reactor, medical isotopes are produced, and irradiation research is carried out on structural materials and nuclear fuels. NRG PALLAS provides services in the field of nuclear technology for the safe and reliable operation of reactors and nuclear facilities. www.nrgpallas.com

‍About TU Delft

Delft University of Technology is the largest and oldest technical university in the Netherlands. Its TU Delft Reactor Institute and Faculty of Applied Sciences carry out leading research on nuclear fuel and structural materials, radiochemistry and reactor physics, supporting the development of the next generation of safe and sustainable nuclear technology. www.tudelft.nl

‍About TNO

TNO is the largest independent research and technology organization in the Netherlands and one of the largest in the EU. TNO innovates, investigates, and orchestrates, collaborating closely with governments, universities and the private sector. By building national and international consortia and ecosystems, TNO drives technological and methodological breakthroughs that helps to realise a secure, sustainable, healthy, and digital society, and strengthen the earning power of the Dutch economy. TNO provides independent insight, integrated system understanding and actionable perspectives on the role of nuclear energy in future energy systems. By combining techno-economic analysis, systems engineering and energy system integration expertise, TNO helps governments and industry make informed decisions on investments, infrastructure and policy. In parallel, TNO develops innovations for advanced Generation IV reactor technologies, including molten salt reactor research, novel instrumentation and validation of next-generation reactor concepts. www.tno.nl ‍‍ ‍

About MOOI Kernenergie

MOOI Kernenergie, part of the Multiannual Mission-driven Innovation Programme (MMIP) for Nuclear Energy, is the Dutch government’s first national subsidy scheme dedicated to nuclear research. The scheme is funded by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management and administered by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO). It supports research and development into nuclear reactor and fuel cycle technology and into the disposal of radioactive waste, with the aim of strengthening the Netherlands’ knowledge position and contributing to an affordable, reliable and clean energy supply.

For further information about this press release, the participating organizations or the developments behind this project, please contact Coco Polderman at info@thorizon.com or +31 (0)6 2139 0708.

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Thorizon is funded by the European Commission, the Dutch Government, the Province of Noord-Brabant and Zeeland, and the French State under the France 2030 plan.