Nonuclear power plant has ever been established inNorway; however, the country has a legal framework for licensing the construction and operation of nuclear installations.[1] Also, four research reactors have been built in Norway. The four reactors were located inKjeller andHalden and were as follows:
In 2019, Norway's last remaining nuclear reactor left in operation, theJEEP II reactor at Kjeller, was shut down after more than 50 years of service.[2][3] In 2021, theNorwegian Green Party stated their support for development of nuclear energy as an alternative source of energy in order to reach theIPCC's goal of preventingglobal warming by1.5 degrees.[4]
In 2020 it was estimated dismantling theHalden andKjeller research reactors and restoring the sites to unrestricted use will cost aboutNOK20 billion (US$2 billion) and take 20 to 25 years.[5]
There has been discussions about the possible usage ofnuclear energy, which is supported by some industry leaders.[6]Statkraft together withVattenfall,Fortum and the energy investment company Scatec announced plans to investigate building of athorium-fueled power plant in 2007 which was never realized.[7]In 2010,Aker Solutions purchased patents from Nobel Prize winning physicistCarlo Rubbia for the design of a proton accelerator-based thorium nuclear power plant,[8] but was subsequently sold toJacobs Engineering Group in 2011.[9]In late 2012, Norway's privately owned Thor Energy, in collaboration with the government andWestinghouse, announced a four-year trial using thorium in an existing nuclear reactor.[10]
