NND applies for license to take over Kjeller nuclear facilities
The government said in May the transfer could take place as soon as January 1, 2027; DSA will now assess the application.
_88237.jpg)
Key facts
- Cleanup at Halden and Kjeller will take several decades; costs estimated at NOK33 billion to NOK57 billion
- Halden facilities transferred to NND from the Institute of Energy Technology on April 1, 2025
- Four research reactors operated at Kjeller and Halden between 1951 and 2019
- Institute of Energy Technology established 1948; Norway was the sixth country to build a nuclear reactor
- Kjeller site includes a national reception facility for radioactive waste and a used fuel store
Norwegian Nuclear Decommissioning has applied to the Norwegian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Agency for a licence to take over the nuclear facilities at Kjeller from the Institute of Energy Technology ahead of their decommissioning. The DSA will assess NND's ability to operate the facility in line with national regulations and international requirements before recommending to the Ministry of Health and Care Services. The government makes the final decision on the licence. The DSA will also submit the application for public consultation, which allows affected parties, residents and other stakeholders to give input into its assessments.
"Our experience with the transfer of the Halden facility has been helpful when we are now also applying for a licence to take over the facilities at Kjeller," NND Director Pål Mikkelsen said.
Four research reactors ran from 1951 to 2019
The Institute of Energy Technology was established in 1948 to conduct research on nuclear energy and develop Norway's expertise in the field. It built and operated four research reactors between 1951 and 2019: JEEP I at Kjeller (1951–1967), the NORA critical assembly at Kjeller (1961–1968), the Halden materials testing reactor (1959–2018), and JEEP II at Kjeller (1966–2019). Norway was the sixth country in the world to build a nuclear reactor.
The facilities at Kjeller include the Radavvalsanlegget, which functions as a national reception facility for radioactive waste, a storage facility for used nuclear fuel and several facilities related to former reactor operations at Kjeller.
Cleanup estimated at NOK33-57 billion
Cleanup work at Halden and Kjeller is under way. It will take several decades, and the costs are currently estimated at between NOK33 billion and NOK57 billion (USD3.6-6.2 billion), depending on the solutions chosen.
The nuclear facilities in Halden were transferred from the Institute of Energy Technology to NND on April 1, 2025. In May 2026 the government said it would accelerate the transfer of the Kjeller facilities, saying it could take place as soon as January 1, 2027. NND was established in February 2018 as an agency under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries and is responsible for decommissioning the research reactors and other related nuclear infrastructure, and for the safe handling, storage and disposal of radioactive waste.