NND is a key player in the Decom cluster

The Norwegian Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NND) is one of the initiators of the establishment of the Cluster for Decommissioning and Reuse. The cooperation between NND and the cluster is close and good, and there is much for other cluster members to gain knowledge and experience from the decommissioning work that NND is doing and will continue to do for many decades to come.

Shows decommissioning of nuclear power plants.
The illustration shows the decommissioning of a nuclear power plant in very rough outline. Illustration: NND

Sector Director Communications, Martin Andreasson, has an important job in communicating the mission that NND has been given by the Norwegian government. Here he briefly explains the tasks and goals of NND and the value they see in being a member of the cluster.

Tell us briefly about the company's business and your role.
Director of Communications Martin Andreasson. PHOTO: Veronica van Groningen

Norwegian Nuclear Decommissioning will decommission Norway's historic nuclear research facilities in a safe and secure manner. The agency will also find solutions for handling the waste, which includes high-level spent reactor fuel.

NND will carry out one of the country's largest sustainability projects. When the job is completed, areas that are currently monitored 24/7 due to the presence of nuclear material will instead be able to be used freely.

As Sector Director Communications, I (along with everyone else in NND) am responsible for NND's reputation. 

What goals is NND working towards?

Our goal is to clean up in a safe and good way so that our generation takes responsibility for the choices that we and our parents have made.

Can you tell us about a success story or an exciting project NND has completed?

In our efforts to create an information platform that can handle all the data NND needs for decommissioning and waste management, we are working with international partners who have chosen to establish a company in Norway. This company collaborates with the Institute for Energy Technology (IFE), among others, and we believe and hope that they will be able to commercialize all or parts of the system they create.

What is NND's motivation for being a member of the Cluster for Decommissioning and Reuse? What type of collaboration is of interest to you?

We see that there is extensive potential within decommissioning. As a government agency, we have limited tools and opportunities to develop this further. In the Decom cluster, we hope to meet both companies that can deliver services to NND and organizations that can commercialize the services and knowledge we build up.

Brief facts about NND:

Name: Norwegian nuclear decommissioning

Number of employees: 48

Website: www.nnd.no

Location: Halden

Leads new national cluster network

Eli Haugerud from Smart Innovation Norway will lead the work to establish a new meeting place across the country's many clusters.

The initiator of the new cluster network is FIN - The Association of Innovation Companies in Norway, which has most of the clusters as members.

General Manager Trine Ellingsen says that many people have asked to meet to exchange experiences and discuss current issues. 

- The clusters are key to Norway achieving its export and sustainability goals. We want to create an arena for sharing and collaboration,' she says in a press release.

Project Manager Eli Haugerud (left) and FIN's General Manager Trine Ellingsen are excited to host the first gathering of the country's many clusters - "Sharing experiences and knowledge is important," they say. BOTH PHOTO: Arne Inge Solgard
Project Manager Eli Haugerud (left) and FIN's General Manager Trine Ellingsen are excited to host the first gathering of the country's many clusters - "Sharing experiences and knowledge is important," they say. BOTH PHOTO: Arne Inge Solgard

Project manager with extensive experience

Project manager Eli Haugerud works as Head of Communities at Smart Innovation Norway. This means that she is responsible for the innovation company's three clusters, NCE Smart Energy Markets, Cluster for Applied AI and the DECOM cluster, as well as the smart city initiative.

Eli Haugerud is a firm believer in the impact of a good sharing culture. PHOTO: Arne Inge Solgard
Eli Haugerud is a firm believer in the impact of a good sharing culture.

Knowing the needs of clusters with different levels of maturity and in different areas is useful in facilitating the exchange of expertise and experience for very different clusters. 

- Sharing is important. The immature can learn from those with more experience, we can also bring in impulses from outside and facilitate new collaborations," says Haugerud. 

- Happy to give something back

 This year, one or two meeting places are planned, and work is now continuing on the design of the program.  

- We have a dialog with several clusters to understand their needs and what we should do together. Industry Week in Porsgrunn is an example of an arena where we are present, and we would like to hear from more clusters," says the new project manager.

Ellingsen of FIN has great faith in the new offer.

- "The clusters are important to FIN and we are happy that we can now give this back to our members," says Ellingsen.