A Dutch Argentine consortium has won the contract to build a new high flux reactor for the Petten nuclear facility in Noord-Holland, beating off opposition from France and South Korea.

Rotterdam based firm TBI will build the reactor and Argentine state-owned firm Invap will take charge of the design, licencing and safety, Invap said in a press release.

The current reactor, which is almost 60 years old and owned by the European Commission, produces medical isotopes used for diagnoses and treatment all over the world. It is responsible for 30% of the worldwide production of medical isotopes.