Investigations according to the government's project model for large investments
NND will investigate and propose good, safe and socially effective solutions to complex issues. The dismantling of the Norwegian nuclear facilities and the handling of the radioactive waste will require large state investments.
Utredninger etter statens prosjektmodell for store investeringer
Staten påtok seg i 2016 et medfinansieringsansvar for opprydding etter norsk atomvirksomhet på et moralsk og samfunnsmessig grunnlag. Oppryddingen krever store statlige investeringer. Prosjekter som koster over 1 MRD skal utredes etter statens prosjektmodell for store investeringer og kvalitetssikres eksternt.
I forbindelse med avvikling av norske atomanlegg og håndtering av radioaktivt avfall gjøres det tre utredninger etter statens prosjektmodell for store investeringer.
Utredninger etter statens prosjektmodell i forbindelse med atomoppryddingen
Staten påtok seg i 2016 et medfinansieringsansvar for opprydding etter norsk atomvirksomhet på et moralsk og samfunnsmessig grunnlag. Oppryddingen krever store statlige investeringer. Prosjekter som koster over 1 MRD skal utredes etter statens prosjektmodell for store investeringer og kvalitetssikres eksternt.
In the event of the shutdown of the nuclear facilities in Norway, it is necessary to clarify what measures will be implemented and what final state the nuclear facilities will be decommissioned to.
The questions sought to be answered through the Concept Selection Report (KVU) for the decommissioning of the nuclear facilities in Norway are:
- What level of decommissioning is the most economically profitable
- What will be the cost of the decommissioning project?
- What should be considered in further planning?
The 2015 KVU is investigating how to clean up the nuclear activities currently in operation at Kjeller and Halden if this activity is decided to be discontinued. Neither the KVU nor the Quality Assurance from 2016 considers whether nuclear activities should cease, and if so, when, but only what should be done at a time when the activity has ceased.
2015
KVU Future decommissioning of nuclear facilities in Norway
2016
Quality assurance (KS1) of KVU Future decommissioning of the nuclear facilities in Norway
2019
KVU Stage 2 Future Decommissioning of IFE's Nuclear Facilities
Based on the assessments of KVU (2015) and KS1 (2016), this study aims to concretize in more detail the options that involve decommissioning measures to an end state that implies that the areas seized by the nuclear facilities can be used for other activities; that is, decommissioning to “limited use” or “unlimited use”. The purpose of the study is also to update the cost estimate and clarify the prerequisites for further work in the pre-project phase.
2020
Quality Assurance (KS1) of KVU Stage 2 Future Decommissioning of IFE's Nuclear Facilities
This interim report ensures the quality of previous assessments and is an important link when the state is going to make major investments. The report essentially confirms assessments by IFE and DNV GL made in 2019. KVU Stage 2 recommends as a concept that the facilities should be decommissioned so that the sites can be free-graded, but recommends that the decision on whether to decommission to limited or unrestricted use be deferred. The KVU indicates a total cost estimate for decommissioning for unlimited use equal to NOK 7 billion in total, which is divided by NOK 3.4 billion in Halden and NOK 3.6 billion at Kjeller. The estimate has increased significantly since 2016 when the expected total cost was NOK 1.8 billion for both facilities. The main reason for the increase is that the new calculations show increases in both expected waste volume, time consumption and staffing needs. The work is estimated to take around 20-25 years. It is also recommended to find quick solutions for spent fuel that will create the conditions for propulsion and reduce security and emergency costs.
2021
The start of the pre-project phase including the preparation of a central management document (SSD) has been decided (27.01.2021).
The purpose of the pre-project phase is to prepare a sufficient basis for the government's proposal to the Storting on a decision on implementation and the SSD shall provide an overview of all key aspects of the project in a way that acts as guidance and clarifying for all internal actors,
the client and relevant external stakeholders. Completed SSD will undergo quality assurance (KS2) and be the basis for decision on the implementation of the project.
The preliminary project should complete the SSD by April 1, 2023.
The spent fuel should be permanently stored (deposited) deep underground for hundreds of thousands of years without inflicting harm on people and the environment. Some of the fuel can be stored directly in a landfill, but 11.5 of the 16.5 tons are chemically unstable fuels. This fuel has properties that can make it difficult to find a safe and long-term solution for this waste.
In 2019, NND was commissioned by the Ministry of Industry and Fisheries (NFD) to create a concept selection study — KVU Spent Fuels — which assesses various concepts, including whether it is possible to chemically treat the metallic fuel to make it more storage stable. NND has additionally considered mechanical pretreatment, which is preparation for direct deposit, and continued temporary storage as a null option.
The report Limited concept selection study on the treatment of Norwegian spent reactor fuel (link) was submitted to NFD in June 2020.
The NND recommends chemical treatment of the fuel in France or Sweden before it is deposited.
It is primarily due to safety considerations and the fact that we do not leave unnecessary burdens to future generations that is the basis for NND to recommend chemical treatment. 11.5 tons is a chemically unstable fuel, which means it can react in contact with water and/or air, and that makes it more challenging to store or landfill. With chemical treatment, the fuel becomes stable and the risks associated with the chemical properties of the fuel are removed.
Two methods of chemical treatment
Two different methods of chemical treatment are considered in the study Limited concept selection study on the treatment of Norwegian spent reactor fuel. Reprocessing at French Orano and oxidation at Swedish Studsvik.
Both processing methods will involve Norwegian spent nuclear fuel being shipped out of the country and stored for up to a few decades before being returned. There is no available Norwegian technology in this area.
While not all the tons of spent nuclear fuel are chemically unstable, the inquiry says it would have been advantageous to process as much of the fuel as possible. Then it will be able to have the same shape, thus making safety assessments at disposal easier.
Some uncertainties remain with both treatment methods, and NND recommends negotiations with Orano and Studsvik regarding price and technical implementation before deciding on the form of treatment for the fuel.
Costs and the way forward
The cost of processing the fuel is estimated at 4 billion.
As far as we know as of today, both treatment methods provide approximately the same scope and cost for long-term storage of the fuel.
An external quality assurance (KS) of the investigation is being carried out, and NND will continue the dialogue with the two suppliers.
By 1 December 2022, NND will deliver a separate concept selection study that deals with the storage of all radioactive waste, including spent nuclear fuel.
Norway needs to expand and renew its infrastructure for handling radioactive waste. Therefore, NND has been given the task of delivering a concept selection report (KVU) on the storage of all Norwegian radioactive waste. The deadline for this work was set for 1.12.2022. Due to the need for priorities, this deadline has been lifted. New date for delivery is not specified.
The questions to be investigated here are:
- Should temporary storage of spent nuclear fuel be continued or should a final landfill be built for permanent storage for the high-efficiency fuel?
- Should Norway possibly build a deep landfill of the same type as in Finland and Sweden, or should we use boreholes?
- And what about low and medium radioactive waste? Should it in a landfill of the same type (mountain hall) as the National Nuclear Waste Facility (Combined Radioactive Waste Storage and Landfill, KLDRA) in Himdalen or is surface landfill a safe, expedient and cost-effective alternative?
Mer om Statens prosjektmodell
For å sørge for en mest mulig effektiv bruk av fellesskapets ressurser stilles det krav til utredning, planlegging og kvalitetssikring av statlige investeringsprosjekter med anslått samlet kostnadsramme over 300 millioner kroner for digitaliseringsprosjekter og over 1 milliard kroner for øvrige prosjekter.
I forbindelse med avvikling av norske atomanlegg og håndtering av radioaktivt avfall gjøres det tre utredninger etter statens prosjektmodell for store investeringer.
Ekstern kvalitet
Kravene innebærer at prosjektene skal gjennomgå ekstern kvalitetssikring av uavhengige eksperter (KS1 og KS2) før beslutningsunderlaget legges frem for regjeringen og Stortinget. Figuren viser den vanligste saksgangen i Statens prosjektmodell. Hvor lang tid det tar fra idéfase til gjennomføring varierer, men realiseringen av store investeringsprosjekter tar tid. Tidligfasen, fra prosjektet kommer på dagsorden og til Stortinget har vedtatt budsjettet tar vanligvis 5-10 år, i enkelte tilfeller flere tiår. Detaljplanlegging- og gjennomføringsfasen tar vanligvis også 5-10 år (kilde: Statens prosjektmodell, concept rapport Nr 35).
Idéfasen
I idéfasen jobbes det med å avklare at det er, eller vil oppstå et problem som det offentlige må iverksette tiltak rundt, og vurdere hvordan dette bør utredes videre. For store prosjekter vil resultatet av idéfasen være et mandat for konseptfasen.
Konseptfasen: Konseptvalgutredning (KVU) + Kvalitetssikring (KS1)
Her beskrives problemet tiltaket skal løse, hvilke fremtidige behov samfunnet vil ha og hvilke mål som skal oppnås ved å gjennomføre tiltak. Ulike løsninger og tiltak som er konseptuelt ulike skal vurderes og sammenlignes gjennom en samfunnsøkonomisk analyse. I konseptfasen er det viktig å beskrive alle tilgjengelige tiltak som kan tenkes å løse problemet.Det skal anbefales hvilket tiltak som bør gjennomføres og hva som er viktige forutsetninger i den videre planleggingen for å lykkes.
Dette kalles en konseptvalgutredning (KVU). KVU-en gjennomgås av en uavhengig tredjepart, den eksterne kvalitetssikringen (KS1), før konseptvalg kan fattes i regjeringen.
Forprosjekt + Kvalitetssikring 2 (KS2)
Forprosjektet skal utarbeide styringsunderlag og kostnadsanslag for det valgte konseptet.
Man skal beskrive hvordan prosjektet kan gjennomføres ved å planlegge nærmere hva som skal bygges eller utvikles, utarbeide mer detaljerte kostnadsanslag og vurdere hvor usikre kostnadsanslagene er.
Man skal beskrive hvordan prosjektet skal styres for å ha kontroll på kostnadene og nå målene som er satt, og vurdere hva slags kontrakter som gir mulige leverandører riktige insentiver til å levere det prosjektet trenger.
Gjennom KS2 kvalitetssikres det sentrale styringsdokumentet og det vurderes om planleggingen og kostnadene for det valgte alternativet er realistisk. Etter KS2 kan investeringsbeslutning og fastsettelse av prosjektets kostnadsramme fremmes for Stortinget.
Gjennomføring
Etter investeringsbeslutning i Stortinget kommer gjennomføringsfasen, der tiltaket skal iverksettes.
