Respond to licence HVC Polanen in Monster
HVC Aardwarmte Polanen B.V. wants to conduct activities with natural radioactive materials at a new production location in Monster. The Authority for Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection (ANVS) intends to issue a licence for this. Until 31 July 2024, all individuals are welcome to submit a response to the draft licence.
Water for heating
HVC Aardwarmte Polanen B.V. (hereinafter HVC) is using a geothermal installation at the new location in Monster. This installation brings warm water from the deep underground to the surface. The company can use it to heat greenhouses, for example. The installation first filters the water. This is necessary in order to remove sand and silt. The warm, filtered water then enters the installation. The cooled water goes back into the ground.
Natural radioactivity in filters or components
When HVC pumps up the warm water, small amounts of radioactive material can come up as well. These radioactive materials have existed in nature since the Earth was formed. They can build up in installation components and in the filters. This accumulation may cause a filter or other component of the geothermal installation to become radioactive.
Guaranteeing the safety of workers and the environment
The ANVS has informed HVC that it needs to take radiation protection measures to guarantee the safety of workers and the surroundings of the geothermal energy plant. For example, the company has to put concrete blocks around the site where warm water is pumped to the surface. It also has to place fencing around the site to ensure it cannot be accessed by unauthorised persons. In addition, the contaminated components or filters may not be treated as ordinary waste.
Authorisation for storage and disposal of radioactive materials
The ANVS imposes more conditions on the licence for this reason. HVC must temporarily store radioactive materials in a special storage facility that meets the legal requirements. The company has a maximum period of two years within which to transport waste containing radioactive materials to a waste processor licensed to receive such waste. In the case of HVC that is usually Mineralz Maasvlakte B.V.
Components and instruments can become contaminated with radioactive materials. The company may store these temporarily and they need to be cleaned by a specialised company. That is not necessary if they are no longer radioactive due to natural decay.
Responses can be submitted before 1 August 2024
You can review the draft licence for HVC Polanen up to and including 31 July 2024. If you have any comments on the draft licence you wish to share, you may do so by submitting an objection.
There are three ways to respond:
- By email: send an email to Postbus.Aanvragenenmelden@anvs.nl and put ‘Objection concerning draft licence for HVC Polanen’ in the subject line of your email.
- In writing: send a letter to the ANVS, Objection concerning draft licence for HVC Polanen, P.O. Box 16001, 2500 BA The Hague.
- By phone: call the Information Desk for Nuclear Energy Act licences at +31 (0)88 489 05 00, available from Monday to Friday between 08.30 and 17.00.
You can also indicate in your objection that you would like to read the final decision. We will then send you a link once the decision has been made.
Response in final decision
We will respond to all objections once we have made a final decision on the licence application. We will include your objections and our response to them in our final decision on the licence. This decision will also be published on our website.
Would you like to find out more?
Please read the official announcement in the Government Gazette (in Dutch).