Norsk Nukleær Dekommisjonering (NND – Norway Nuclear Decommissioning) has selected a joint venture between Jacobs and Multiconsult Norge to plan the decommissioning of Norway's nuclear facilities. The initial focus of the framework contract will be on two research sites – the nuclear fuel and materials testing reactor at Halden and the JEEP-II neutron scattering facility at Kjeller – which were shut down in 2018 and 2019. The overall programme for used fuel treatment and decommissioning of the Halden and Kjeller reactors is expected to cost about $1.96 billion and take 20-25 years.

NND, an agency under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries, was officially formed in February 2018 and is based in Halden. It is responsible for decommissioning of the research reactors and other related nuclear infrastructure. NND is also responsible for safe handling, storage and disposal of nuclear waste in Norway, as well as the decommissioning of nuclear infrastructure. It offers independent advice regarding these issues to the government. Currently the independent Institute for Energy Technology (IFE) owns and is responsible for the research reactors but ownership and responsibility will eventually be transferred to NND.

NND is still in development a lot of time and resources are allocated to planning and organisation. When the agency is fully operational and has obtained the necessary licences from the Norwegian radiation and nuclear safety authority (DSA) it will be the single point of contact for handling Norway’s nuclear waste.

The Jacobs/Multiconsult JV was ranked highest in competitive bidding and will have first option to carry out work. NND estimates the total value of the six-year multi-award framework at up to $100 million. The work includes engineering concept design and planning of new facilities, upgrading of existing nuclear and non-nuclear facilities and supporting NND with technical documentation, as well as preparing safety cases to meet ownership and operating licence requirements.

"This important contract expands our footprint in the European nuclear decommissioning market, which is estimated at $63 billion by 2025," said Jacobs Energy, Security and Technology Senior Vice President Karen Wiemelt. "Laying the foundations for a safe and effective cleanup will protect people and the environment and enable these two sites to be used for other purposes for decades to come."

"The decommissioning of the nuclear facilities in Norway is a complicated assignment, and NND is pleased to see that there is a lot of interest from both international and local/national suppliers to assist NND in this task,” said NND Chief Technology Officer Nils Bøhmer. “NND welcomes the international decommissioning experience that Jacobs brings onboard and acknowledge that it will be of valuable help for NND. At the same time, we also greatly appreciate the Norwegian experience that Multiconsult Norge AS has, which means that the two companies will be a strong partner for NND in the coming years."

NND also on 1 July signed a framework agreement with Fortum Uniper Nuclear Services (FUNS) for technical support on design, engineering, and safety. For this contract, FUNS has established a consortium with GNS Gesellschaft für Nuklear-Service mbH. The consortium is one of three vendors awarded the framework agreement, altogether worth up to NOK1 billion ($100m). The three-year framework agreement includes three one-year extension options.

“Together Fortum and Uniper have unique owner and operator experience and nuclear competences spanning many decades, which differentiates us from many of the other actors in the nuclear industry,” said Anni Jaarinen, Head of Co-operation for FUNS at Fortum.

Photo: Morten F. Holm / SCANPIX