In recent years, a number of submarines have docked at Grøtsund harbor in Tromsø. The calls have been met with demonstrations, and people living nearby have spoken of concerns. But according to a recent survey, the inhabitants of Tromsø are taking it all rather calmly. The survey, which was carried out by InFact for news and the newspaper Nordlys, shows that fully 65 per cent of those questioned are not worried about the submarine activity in the city, which has been going on regularly since last year. Among those who shrug their shoulders is Ulrik Rørvik (24). – Personally, it is not something that worries me. I have a relaxed relationship with it. But I can understand that people react a little to it and maybe think it’s a bit “shady”, he says. Ulrik Rørvik (24) is among the majority in Tromsø. The arrival of nuclear submarines is not something he worries about. Photo: Mari Elise Nordgård / news “The increase in calls increases the chance that Norway could be affected by a major or minor incident in a reactor-powered vessel. For example, grounding, collision, leakage, fire and serious reactor failure,” says a report the Norwegian Armed Forces produced last year. But according to the Norwegian Armed Forces, a nuclear accident in Tromsø is at the same time a very unlikely scenario. While in 2021 there was only one call, in 2022 there have been six nuclear submarines visiting, the Norwegian Armed Forces’ operational headquarters (FOH) informs news. – The number will vary from year to year, says communications manager Thomas Gjesdahl in FOH. Political disagreement The survey also shows that the concerns over the submarine calls have fairly clear political dividing lines. The most critical voices against the submarines’ calls in the city have come from the political left. The Red party in particular has advocated against Tromsø receiving the submarines. The survey shows that it is the voters of the Red and Socialist Left parties who are by far the most worried. As many as 55 percent of those who answered that they would have voted Red if there were local elections today, answered that the submarines cause concern. In comparison, only 9 percent of those who would have voted Høyre, who answered that they were worried about the nuclear submarines’ arrivals. – I feel that it is safe, and I am glad that we have increased preparedness in Northern Norway with the situation we are in, says Sebastian Henriksen, who represents the Conservative Party in Tromsø’s municipal council. Jens Ingvald Olsen in Rødt points to the fact that Norwegians have great trust in the authorities as an explanation, but points out that this is now on the way down. – It is a rubber band that cannot be stretched indefinitely. We now see with the electricity crisis that the elastic is about to unravel, says Olsen. He disagrees with Henriksen that the submarines strengthen preparedness in the north. – This is something that weakens preparedness, it weakens civil preparedness, and helps to build up military activity, and raises the threat picture. The background for the party’s concerns is that the submarine attacks will lead to increased tension in the north, and in the worst case scenario, that the part of the country could be affected by a military conflict between Russia and NATO. Facts about nuclear submarine landings in Tromsø Photo: Dan Henrik Klausen / news The reason for the reactions was that Tromsø municipality does not initially have the expertise or equipment to be able to handle a possible accident involving a radioactive leak. Tromsø is one of the cities in the country that has an obligation to receive allied boats, and Tønsnes thus became one of two ports of call in Norway for the NATO alliance’s reactor-powered vessels, even though the municipality initially said no. In order for Nato to be able to use the port in Tromsø, the Norwegian Armed Forces had to create a risk and vulnerability analysis. The Minister of Defense emphasized there that the government would never have chosen the port of Tønsnes if there were doubts about safety. But an accident can happen, and the consequences can in the worst case be death, health damage over time or radioactive damage to nature and the environment. Party leader in Rødt, Bjørnar Moxnes, believed that the Minister of Defense underestimated and trivialized the consequences of an accident and believes that Tromsø will become a major military target. This American nuclear-powered submarine represents one of seven calls that have taken place in the last year and a half. This is what radiation protection says The Directorate for Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety (DSA) shares the Defense’s assessment that an accident is highly unlikely. At the same time, the consequences could be significant if that were to happen. Because what would actually have happened if there had been an accident with one of the nuclear-powered submarines in the harbour? – If there is an incident in Grøtsund harbour, it will primarily affect people within a radius of two kilometres. These will be evacuated, says Inger Margrethe Eikelmann in DSA. With a radius of two kilometres, it is very limited how many people will have to be evacuated, as the area is not densely built-up. Tromsøya and other densely built-up areas are well outside. Inger Margrethe Eikelmann, head of the northern areas section in DSA, Directorate for Radiation Protection. She has the contingency plan ready. Much of the preparedness is about getting information out to the people if Photo: Knut Anders Finnset / news Those who live three kilometers within the radius will also be asked to use iodine tablets, and people may be asked to stay indoors, she says . – This is also a very effective measure, says Eikelmann. The red ring shows the radius of three kilometers around Grøtsund harbour. It is within this that it will be most relevant to take measures, should a possible accident with the nuclear submarines occur, according to DSA. But if there is an incident, there will probably be great unrest in the city, and there will be a strong need for information, says Eikelmann. – Everyone will feel affected. And I think that is also an important part of the emergency plan we have, that everyone gets the information they need to feel safe.
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The population of Tromsø not particularly worried about American nuclear submarines – news Troms and Finnmark
