Pallas Reactor Project

The construction of the new nuclear research reactor for the production of medical radioisotopes in Petten, the Netherlands, is intended to replace the current High Flux Reactor. The facility has been designed according to the highest international nuclear safety standards, integrating high-integrity concrete structures, redundant cooling and control systems, and specialized infrastructure for the safe handling of irradiated materials. The reactor is designed to ensure high operational availability for the production of critical medical radioisotopes, as well as to support scientific research and technological development, meeting stringent quality, radiological protection, and sustainability requirements.

The project features a tank-in-pool research reactor, optimized for high neutron flux and continuous production of medical radioisotopes for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. The infrastructure includes high-integrity reinforced concrete nuclear structures executed to strict tolerances, along with redundant nuclear cooling and safety systems, based on a defense-in-depth philosophy. It also incorporates hot cells and shielded remote handling areas, advanced nuclear instrumentation and control systems, and strict construction requirements related to thermal control, cracking, and nuclear concrete quality. The complex provides continuous radiological monitoring and filtered nuclear ventilation, serving as a platform for scientific research and technological testing, and constitutes a strategic infrastructure to ensure the safe supply of medical radioisotopes.