Norway’s Norsk Kjernekraft has signed a memorandum of understanding with South Korea’s DL Energy and DL E&C to study the feasibility of constructing a NPP at the Mongstad oil refinery in in Austrheim and Alver municipality. Norsk Kjernekraft is seeking to build, own and operate small modular reactor (SMR) power plants in Norway in collaboration with power-intensive industry. It has signed a raft of agreement with various municipalities for the development of NPPs based on SMRs.
DL Energy and DL E&C are both part of the DL Group, which has built a number of nuclear power plants with an annual production equivalent to more than half of Norway’s total power production, Norsk Kjernekraft noted. “South Korea has extensive experience in the efficient construction and operation of nuclear power plants, and their expertise is now being used in Europe for the construction of new nuclear power plants.”
Norsk Kjernekraft said DL Energy previously visited the Mongstad oil refinery which is Norway’s “largest emission point”, adding that nuclear power “has the potential to become a central contributor if the region is to reach its zero emissions target”. A nuclear power plant could be built in Austrheim by the mid-30s, “given political will”, Norsk Kjernekraft noted. “The nuclear power plant will deliver clean electricity and heat and will be able to help cover the enormous power needs registered in the region, without this coming at the expense of vulnerable nature.”
It added: “The recipe is the same one Norway used to build up its, world-leading oil industry. By bringing in foreign expertise, the process can be accelerated. The collaboration agreement also opens the way for the DL group to contribute its knowledge and expertise in other Norwegian municipalities as well.”
Norsk Kjernekraft CEO Jonny Hesthammer, said, without nuclear power, Norway is unable to comply with its international obligations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and at the same time protect the environment. “Since we started this company a couple of years ago, this message has reached more and more people, and a number of district municipalities are now stepping forward to have nuclear power investigated with us.”
He added: “We keep hearing the argument that Norway lacks nuclear power expertise. It is therefore very gratifying that foreign expertise is on hand and will help us. The South Koreans are world champions in building nuclear power plants to the agreed time and cost. They showed that, among other things, with the construction of four reactors at Barakah in the UAE.”
Earlier in August, Norsk Kjernekraft submitted a proposal to the Ministry of Energy for an assessment of the construction of a multi-unit SMR NPP in the municipality of Øygarden (Vestland county). It is also investigating SMR power plants for Lund municipality (Rogaland county), Vardø municipality (Finnmark) Aure (Møre og Romsdal), Heim (Trøndelag), and Narvik (Nordland).
