Norwegian used fuel to be stored in Sweden

Norway holds about 16.5 tonnes of used fuel from six decades of operating nuclear research reactors. Much of it cannot be stored long term or disposed of in its current form. The inventory includes metallic uranium fuel, aluminium-clad fuel and experimental fuels.

Under the agreement, which runs until 2055, Studsvik will transport the fuel to its licensed facilities at Studsvik outside Nyköping, Sweden, inspect it and, where required, treat it, including oxidation of metallic uranium fuel, to prepare it for interim storage and final disposal. The treated fuel will remain at Studsvik until it is returned to Norway for final disposal.

The long-term agreement starts with a pre-study, within six months, that will define the detailed project plan and budget, with the majority of work to be conducted over the coming two decades.

The agreement has an estimated contractual minimum value of about SEK875 million (USD88.3 million) - assuming all fuel has been transported to Sweden by 2035 - and an estimated total value for Studsvik of SEK3-4 billion. The final value will depend on the scope and budget set in the pre-study and on the work orders Norwegian Nuclear Decommissioning (NND) places, subject to permits in both countries.

The agreement includes a fixed annual fee covering project management, regulatory work, security and the reservation of storage capacity at Studsvik. It builds on more than ten years of cooperation between Studsvik and the Norwegian nuclear sector, including a 2021 contract with the Institute for Energy Technology (IFE) to treat metallic uranium fuel from the JEEP I reactor at Kjeller.

NND may terminate the agreement following the pre-study with 12 months' notice, during which the fixed fee and minimum volume continue to apply, and may otherwise terminate it after five years with 18 months' notice. "The agreement gives NND considerable leeway to continuously assess needs, progress, regulatory clarifications and costs before issuing specific work orders," NND said. "This means that NND is not bound to purchase all services that the agreement allows for, but can decide which parts of the value chain to use, when to use them and to what extent."

"This landmark agreement is the result of many years of work, and potentially one of the most significant in Studsvik's history," said Studsvik CEO Karl Thedéen. "Norway needs a safe and lasting solution for fuel that has been in temporary storage, and we have the facilities, the licences and the expertise to deliver it. The agreement strengthens Studsvik's long-term business foundation for our Fuel, Materials and Waste Technology business area, and opens further international opportunities where we can take responsibility across the entire life cycle of nuclear power."

Pål Mikkelsen, Director General of Norwegian Nuclear Decommissioning, said: "Safe management of the spent fuel from Halden and Kjeller is one of NND's most important tasks. Parts of the inventory must be treated before it can be stored safely over the long term, and Studsvik has the facilities and experience to do that. Our assessment is that this is the safest route, and that it is sound both environmentally and economically."

Norway's two research reactors - the nuclear fuel and materials testing reactor at Halden and the JEEP-II neutron scattering facility at Kjeller - were declared permanently shut down in June 2018 and April 2019, respectively. In addition to the research reactors, there are several other nuclear facilities that will be decommissioned and a wide range of nuclear waste that must be handled and disposed of in a safe way. The clean-up activities are estimated to cost more than NOK21 billion (USD2.2 billion) and will last for at least 20 years.

A pilot study in 2021 by Studsvik showed that all of Norway's metallic uranium research reactor fuel could be processed using its oxidation process in less than two years. Several studies had already recommended chemical treatment of the fuel before it is disposed of in an underground repository.

NND, established in 2018 as a government agency under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries, is responsible for decommissioning the research reactors and other related nuclear infrastructure. NND is also responsible for the safe handling, storage and disposal of nuclear waste in Norway.

The nuclear facilities in Halden were transferred from the Institute for Energy Technology to NND on 1 April last year. Earlier this month, NND submitted a licence application to the country's nuclear regulator to take over responsibility for the nuclear facilities at Kjeller.