Reactor Operations

The Reactor Operations Department at Kjeller is responsible for the safe operation and maintenance of the JEEP II reactor. The JEEP II reactor has been in operation since 1967 and has been used by researchers nationally and internationally in physics, materials, cancer medicine and renewable energy, as well as nuclear disarmament.

The reactor was decided to shut down on April 25, 2019. It is now in the planning phase of being decommissioned.

Although the reactor now is shut down, there are several functions that must be taken care of. Operation of the plant requires that a number of safety requirements and conditions are complied with. They must be documented and reported to the Directorate of Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety (DSA), which is IFE’s supervisory authority. An important basis for this is the reactor system’s safety report (SAR).

Following the decommissioning decision, the department shall continue to ensure the safe operation of the plant, the safe storage of the nuclear material, including fuel, stored on the plant. We will assist in future decommissioning and implementation of projects related to this.

Switching to decommissioning will be important in the future. It will mean new ways of working. But the basic need for competent staff and the commitment to do a good job will remain the same.