Official proposal lodged for Halden SMR plant

Wednesday, 11 June 2025

Halden Kjernekraft - 20% owned by Halden municipality with Norsk Kjernekraft and Østfold Energi owning 40% each - was set up in November 2023 to investigate the construction of a nuclear power plant at Halden using small modular reactors (SMRs).

Halden Kjernekraft has now submitted a formal notification to Norway's Ministry of Energy regarding a study programme for the establishment of a nuclear power plant in the municipality. "This marks the first step in the Norwegian regulatory process to look more closely at the advantages and disadvantages of building nuclear power plants," the company said.

The proposed nuclear power plant at Halden will consist of up to four SMRs with a total installed capacity of 1200 MWe and an annual production of 10 TWh. The plant is expected to create between 200 and 500 jobs during the operational phase.

"Halden is centrally located between Oslo and Gothenburg, which makes it interesting for the establishment of new industry, but a lack of stable power has been an obstacle to such establishments. We have the solution to that problem," said Norsk Kjernekraft CEO Jonny Hesthammer. "We see that the need for power is increasing, while the power system has become more weather-dependent and more dependent on foreign cables, which are vulnerable to sabotage. A nuclear power plant in Halden will improve energy security in the capital area."

Håvard Kristiansen, CEO of Halden Kjernekraft, added: "Lack of power currently hinders industrial establishment and climate action in Østfold, Oslo and Akershus. A nuclear power plant in Halden can help solve this problem in the long term."

This is the fourth project that Norsk Kjernekraft is involved in notifying the Ministry of Energy. In August last year, it submitted a proposal to the Ministry of Energy for an assessment of the construction of a power plant based on multiple SMRs in the municipality of Øygarden, west of Bergen. That proposal followed proposals submitted for SMR power plants in Aure and Heim municipalities, as well as Vardø municipality.

In addition to proposing the nuclear power plant at Halden, Halden Kjernekraft has also proposed an investigation programme for an interim storage and disposal facility for radioactive waste. This is proposed to be located next to the nuclear power plant. This notification has been submitted to the Directorate for Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety (DSA), which is the responsible authority for such facilities.

To obtain a licence under the Atomic Energy Act, developers must have a plan for the safe management of radioactive waste. Halden Kjernekraft said the proposed facility will use proven technology, developed and approved in several other countries, and will be able to handle waste from both the proposed nuclear power plant in Halden and from other sources.

Halden Kjernekraft said it is also considering using drilling technology from the oil and gas industry to deposit some types of radioactive waste in boreholes that are several kilometers deep.

Norsk Kjernekraft aims to build, own and operate SMR power plants in Norway in collaboration with power-intensive industry. It says it will prepare licence applications in accordance with national regulations and international standards. It will follow the International Atomic Energy Agency's approach for milestones, and focus on what creates value in the early phase. Financing will take place in collaboration with capital-strong industry and solid financial players.