INGECID, as the majority partner of the ICCircle consortium, with British company Createc and Norwegian company Catenda, has been awarded a project for decommissioning nuclear reactors and the management of nuclear reactor waste in Norway by the NND (Norwegian Nuclear Decommissioning), for a total of NOK 123 million (12.3 million Euros), to be completed in 12 years.

The Project, which will begin with the decommissioning of the Halden and Kjeller reactors, will cover the entire spectrum of design, development and maintenance of IT solutions for the digitalization of decommissioning, waste management and radiological characterization processes. INGECID will contribute its experience in decommissioning and waste management, nuclear engineering, software development and BIM methodology.

NND responsible for decommissioning

NND, an agency reporting to the Norwegian Ministry of Trade and Industry, is responsible for the decommissioning of research reactors and other related nuclear infrastructure in Norway. NND is also responsible for the removal, storage and management of nuclear waste.

The multi-year project will lead to the creation of an information and data management system to provide the oversight NND needs to ensure safety and efficiency during the nuclear decommissioning processes and waste management at key sites, which will extend over at least 20 years.

Pål Mikkelsen, Director of NND commented; "NND has undertaken the strategic planning process for decommissioning and during this phase it became clear that data and information governance would be vital to successfully achieving our project goals. We need a system designed to solve the unique challenges inherent to our facilities and able to adapt to our exact decommissioning and waste management processes."

Partnerships in the pursuit of success

ICCircle is an international alliance of three specialized firms: INGECID, Createc and Catenda, established as a legal entity in Norway.

Complementing INGECID's experience in nuclear engineering and software development, the team has two other cutting-edge companies in this sector.

Createc, a UK-based company, is an innovative consultancy company with experience in robotics and radiation measurement, while Catenda is a Norwegian software company.

With a unique combination of skills and experience, ICCircle is well prepared to begin the process of cooperation to develop the most suitable solution for NND’s needs.

Javier Alonso, spokesperson for ICCircle and Director of Nuclear Engineering at INGECID, said: “The consortium companies are delighted to have been awarded this contract, which is the start of a long-standing partnership with NND. We immediately identified with NND’s ambitions to put data and information management at the heart of their new nuclear decommissioning and waste management process. Together, ICCircle’s three organizations have extensive experience in the nuclear industry, BIM, and the development of software systems. We feel honored to be part of such a cutting-edge project, where our innovative solutions can be applied to improve both safety and efficiency. We’re particularly excited that this project includes not only developing a product that can significantly improve the efficiency of the process, but also the ongoing support, maintenance and consultancy required to ensure that the solution remains optimized and effective throughout our long-term relationship with NND.”

NND will begin the implementation phase at the Halden and Kjeller sites from March 2022, with the ICCircle contract commencing in February 2022.