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During an inspection on Friday, January 17, and Monday, January 20, 2025, IFE discovered material wear in the wet storage facility for spent fuel at the Halden nuclear facility. IFE promptly notified DSA and other relevant stakeholders. A task force comprising various specialists has been established to implement immediate measures. DSA has opened a supervisory case and is closely monitoring the situation.
– The safety of our employees, the surrounding community, and the facility is IFE’s top priority. There has been no radioactive release, but the risk associated with the storage facility has increased. IFE has shut down the facility and immediately started work on risk-reducing measures. Independent third-party assessments will be carried out, and approval from DSA will be obtained before any actions are taken at the facility. The situation is being continuously monitored and supervised. Our preliminary assessment is that the issue will not have negative consequences for the surroundings, health, or the environment, said Nils Morten Huseby, CEO of IFE.
Fuel Stored in Water Pools
Fuel from the Halden Reactor is stored in vertical fuel containers situated in a water pool. During the inspection, it was discovered that several anchoring bolts holding the structure supporting the fuel containers in place had come loose.
The fuel is safeguarded by three safety barriers, none of which have been compromised. The water pool housing the fuel operates as a closed-loop system under continuous monitoring. There has been no increase in radiation or release of radioactivity.
Fuel Storage from the 1960s
The issue was identified by IFE as part of an Aging Control Program at the nuclear facilities. The storage area where material wear was detected dates back to the early 1960s, making it challenging for IFE to determine how long the wear has been occurring, as these bolts were not part of the inspection program. Two-thirds of the remaining storage area was constructed in the 1990s. The newer section of the storage facility is unaffected and was designed to function independently of the section with material wear.
