Studsvik Signs Landmark Agreement to Manage Norway's Spent Nuclear Fuel

NYKÖPING, Sweden, Oct. 16, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- Studsvik AB, a Swedish nuclear technology company, has signed a landmark agreement with the Norwegian state agency Norwegian Nuclear Decommissioning (NND) to manage spent nuclear fuel from the former research reactors at Halden and Kjeller. The agreement, signed in Halden on October 16, 2026, runs until 2055 and is estimated to have a minimum contractual value of about SEK 875 million, with a potential total value for Studsvik of SEK 3-4 billion.

The agreement covers the transport, treatment, and interim storage of spent nuclear fuel from Norway's former research reactors. Studsvik will be responsible for transporting the fuel from Norway to its facilities in Sweden, inspecting and treating it, and storing it until it is returned to Norway for final disposal. The majority of the work is expected to be conducted over the coming two decades.

Norway holds approximately 16.5 tonnes of spent fuel from six decades of running nuclear research reactors. Much of this fuel cannot be stored long term or disposed of in its current form. The inventory includes metallic uranium fuel, aluminum-clad fuel, and experimental fuels. Under the agreement, Studsvik will treat the fuel, including the oxidation of metallic uranium fuel, to prepare it for interim storage and final disposal.

The pre-study, which began immediately, will define the detailed project plan and budget. NND will place work orders for each stage of the project, subject to required regulatory approvals and permits in both countries. The agreement includes a fixed annual fee for project management, regulatory work, security, and the reservation of storage capacity at Studsvik. It builds on more than ten years of cooperation between Studsvik and the Norwegian nuclear sector, including a 2021 contract with the Institute for Energy Technology (IFE) to treat metallic uranium fuel from the JEEP I reactor at Kjeller.

Studsvik estimates the total value of the agreement, including expected work orders for transport, treatment, and storage, at SEK 3-4 billion over the period to 2055. NND estimates its contractual minimum commitment at about SEK 875 million, assuming all fuel has been transported to Sweden by 2035. NND may terminate the agreement following the pre-study with 12 months' notice, during which the fixed fee and minimum volume continue to apply. The agreement may also be terminated after five years with 18 months' notice. In such cases, the minimum commitment would not be fully realized.

The agreement is not expected to have a material impact on Studsvik's results for 2026 and 2027. Studsvik will provide further information once the project plan and budget have been finalised and the necessary permits have been obtained. Founded in 1947 as the centre of Sweden's national nuclear programme, Studsvik today serves operators, fuel vendors, technology developers, and regulators in more than 20 countries and has approximately 540 employees.