Institutt for energiteknikk (Institute for Energy Technology) (IFE) has a license to operate Norway's two research reactors at Kjeller and in Halden. In the Royal Decree of November 2008 on IFE's current license it was required that updated plans for decommissioning (dismantling) of IFE's nuclear facilities and for financing of these plans should be submitted by December 31, 2010.

It has not been decided when the decommissioning of nuclear facilities IFE will take place. In principle, the plants can be closed whenever the NRPA finds the continued operation of the reactors unsafe, or if IFE find it unprofitable to continue operating.

There is a need for clarification on the level of decommissioning to be selected when the decommissioning of the nuclear plants in Norway will take place. Such clarification should take into account the consequences for the environment and society in the respective municipalities, safety risks and cost when choosing a particular level of decommissioning, and national laws and relevant international recommendations.

The Government will decide on a conceptual solution for the level of decommissioning during future decommissioning of the nuclear facilities at Kjeller and in Halden.

The assessment basis for decision on a conceptual solution is a concept selection assessment (KVU). The KVU shall be designed in accordance with the preconditions and chapter structure for the quality assurance of concept selection (KS1) provided by the Finance Ministry's framework agreement of 4 March 2011 on quality assurance of concept selection as well as the management basis and cost estimate for the chosen project alternative. The KVU shall thereafter be externally quality assured through processes for the KS1 and quality assurance of the management basis and cost estimate (KS2) before submission for a final investment decision in Parliament.

Complete description of the deliverables is set out in Appendix 1 to the contract. Work will take place from commencement of the contract and tentatively nine months ahead.

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