The Hague, Dec 10 (IANS): The Dutch government has announced a plan to build two new nuclear power plants by 2035, which will cover 9-13 per cent of the country's total electricity needs by then.

The two "third-generation nuclear power plants" will each have a capacity of 1,000 to 1,650 megawatt, the government said in a statement on Friday.

The new plants are expected to be constructed at Borssele in the westernmost province of Zeeland, where the country's only existing nuclear power plant is located. It covers about 3 per cent of the Netherlands' total electricity needs, Xinhua news agency reported.

The government is also preparing to extend the operating life of the existing nuclear power plant so that it can continue to operate safely after 2033, according to the statement.

The government has "opted for nuclear energy because the Netherlands needs all clean energy sources to achieve the climate goals and to emit no more CO2 in the production of electricity by 2040 at the latest," it said.