THORIUM AS AN ENERGY SOURCE - Opportunities for Norway ...

Thorium as an Energy Source - Opportunities for Norway
Studsvik-Scandpower. The company's software is still a world leader for reactor calculations.
Customers include power companies and research institutes worldwide.
IFE is still the only institution that maintains the national competence in reactor technology. The
mandate is:
“IFE shall, on an idealistic and socially beneficially basis, do nuclear technology R&D and provide
information on nuclear energy. IFE shall do basic research based on the Jeep II-reactor at Kjeller,
and take care of important national duties within radiation pharmacy, the development and use of
nuclear methods, radiation protection and radioactive waste.
IFE shall also maintain a national competence in reactor technology and safety, based on the
international Halden Reactor Project performed at the Halden Boiling Water Reactor (HBWR). A
broad spectrum of fuel- and material examinations under realistic conditions are performed at the
Halden Reactor. This provides an important data base for safety evaluations and the reliable
operation of nuclear power stations and other complex industrial facilities.”
Research, education and the maintenance of nuclear knowledge in Norway is important and
somewhat independent of future national nuclear energy production. There is a need for more
specialists today, and an introduction of nuclear energy will demand a considerable lager number
of properly educated personnel.
11.3 Norwegian Supplier Industry
There is no industrial supplier of nuclear energy technology in Norway, but several companies
have relevant competence.
Aker Kværner has expertise and experience in waste handling and storage, as well as in
decommissioning of nuclear facilities. Those divisions are located in Great Britain.
The company Thor Energy is considering building nuclear power plants utilizing thorium. The
plan is to buy standard power plants and to develop a new fuel cycle based on thorium.
11.4 Relevant Norwegian Research and Development
The only R&D environment for nuclear power in Norway is at IFE, primarily through the activity
at the Halden Reactor. The activity there is highly esteemed internationally, both regarding the
fuel research at the reactor and the comprehensive research on the interplay between humans,
technology and organization. IFE has extensive experience in fuel testing, including thoriumcontaining
fuel.
Studsvik-Scandpower and Scandpower Risk Management are capable of contributing to
calculations of reactor core reactivity and power distribution as well as risk analysis.
Selskapet for INdustriell og TEknisk Forskning (SINTEF) may contribute with knowledge in the
fields of advanced materials and high-temperature corrosion, which have been actualized because
of the Generation IV reactor project.
The use of nuclear methods is used in many branches of science at the Norwegian universities.
Several Norwegian university physicists and chemists do research and use methods relevant for
reactor technology.
UiO has Norway’s only research accelerator, a MC-35 Scanditronix cyclotron. The nuclear physics
and -chemistry research at the cyclotron is organized in a centre for accelerator based research
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