Sweden will invest “heavily” in nuclear energy

In the first phase, by 2025, the equivalent of two classic nuclear reactors should be built. It is possible that part of the production capacity will come in the form of smaller modular reactors, or so-called small and medium reactors (SMRs).

“We need to double Sweden’s electricity production over the next 25 years,” Energy Minister Ebba Bosch said at a press conference. Nuclear energy must help meet additional electricity demand and ensure the success of the energy transition.

Sweden currently has six nuclear reactors distributed among three nuclear power plants. They were used in the period 1975-1985. In early August, the government announced that it would remove obstacles to building new nuclear reactors. Public support for new nuclear reactors has never been higher.

“We are guaranteeing the necessary market conditions by saying that the state will intervene and bear some risks,” Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson said at the press conference. “We remove obstacles.”

Greenpeace said the plans could lead to “a massive accumulation of debt on Swedish taxpayers,” said Rolf Lindahl, a spokesman for the environmental organization. “All similar nuclear power projects launched in Europe, in France, Finland and the United Kingdom, suffered serious delays and turned out to be much more expensive than expected. There is no reason to believe that would not be the case here.”