Norwegian Nuclear Decommissioning (NND), the body responsible for managing radioactive waste in Norway, has contacted 22 municipalities to gauge their willingness to participate in a site selection process for future nuclear storage facilities. This consultation marks a preliminary stage in identifying a suitable location for the storage of waste from the decommissioned research reactors at Halden and Kjeller.
A phased and voluntary approach
The initiative launched by NND is based on voluntary participation from local authorities. According to the agency, the letters sent are not a decision on location but rather an invitation to engage in possible studies and planning. The selection of municipalities was made using 18 criteria, including geology, land use, energy access, natural hazards, and socio-economic impact.
The list includes municipalities such as Halden, the former site of one of the reactors, as well as Aurskog-Høland, Fredrikstad, Sarpsborg and Lillestrøm. Transparency and verifiability are emphasised in the process, which aims to ensure systematic comparison of all candidate locations.
Multiple facility types under consideration
Norwegian Nuclear Decommissioning is planning a variety of facilities: storage for low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste, storage for spent nuclear fuel, treatment plants for waste sorting and processing, and final disposal sites including deep geological repositories for high-level radioactive waste. NND’s Director of Communications, Martin Andreasson, stated that if a municipality does not express interest, it will be considered as not wishing to participate further.
Norway has never operated nuclear power plants for electricity generation, but must manage the legacy of its former research reactors. These facilities, now permanently shut down, have generated volumes of waste requiring long-term management infrastructure.
National context in transition
Alongside this storage project, a government-appointed committee, formed in June 2024, is examining the feasibility of nuclear energy development in the country. Its report is due by April 2026. In addition, the Norwegian Environment Agency recently submitted a draft study programme for a potential nuclear power plant in Aure and Heim to neighbouring countries for consultation.
In May, Norwegian Nuclear Decommissioning awarded a contract to the joint venture between US-based Amentum and Multiconsult Norge AS to provide safety case management and training for the country’s nuclear decommissioning programme. The contract includes work at Himdalen in Aurskog-Høland, a combined storage and disposal facility for low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste.
