Big day in the nuclear family today. The Department of Energy Engineering's nuclear department in Halden has now been transferred to NND. And just in case: It's not an April Fool's joke even though calendar shows April 1st.
This is an anniversary for us at NND, and it is with great pleasure that we welcome 128 highly skilled employees from IFE NUK Halden into the NND family.
On 28 March, the government decided to grant NND a concession to own and operate the nuclear plant in Halden. With this, there are now for the first time two concession holders for nuclear plants in Norway: NND which has the concession to own and operate the Halden reactor and IFE which will continue to hold the concession for the nuclear facilities in Lillestrøm and in Aurskog-Høland.
Since the late 1950s, researchers from around the world have associated Halden with the OECD research program Halden Project. World-unique research has been conducted at the nuclear reactor in the centre of Halden. Now the plant should be demolished in a safe and responsible manner. The mission, with demolishing, or decommissioning, the plant is given to the state agency NND.
A prerequisite for NND's mission to succeed is a transfer of IFE's nuclear facilities to NND. Today's transfer of the Halden plant is therefore an important step in the progress of decommissioning
-Today we celebrate that we have reached an important milestone. At the same time, the work has just begun, and we have many exciting tasks ahead of us,” says NND Director Pål Mikkelsen.
The milestone was marked with a shared breakfast for all employees at Byparken in Halden. CEO Mikkelsen welcomed all employees to the “new” NND, both those who are now being transferred from IFE and those who already had NND as an employer from before.
“Thank you to everyone who has contributed to making sure we are now where we are,” the CEO said.
“And so we are looking forward to the nuclear plant with all skilled employees at Kjeller in Lillestrøm becoming part of NND,” concludes the Director.
