Sweden wants to “become a strong nuclear nation again”. Stockholm announced on Thursday November 16 that it wanted to produce nuclear energy “massively” to succeed in its energy transition.
The new roadmap presented by the Conservative government provides for nuclear energy production equivalent to two nuclear reactors no later than 2035. A “massive expansion” will follow by 2045. This is a further step to become a European nuclear champion, but also to succeed in the energy transition, assures the Swedish executive.
“Within 25 years, we must double electricity production in Sweden,” Energy Minister Ebba Busch said at a press conference.
Ten new nuclear reactors by 2045
Sweden currently operates, in three different power plants, six nuclear reactors commissioned during the decade 1975-1985. At the beginning of August, the government announced that it would remove obstacles to the construction of new nuclear reactors. The Scandinavian country will need the equivalent of ten new conventional nuclear reactors by 2045, according to estimates by the right-wing government.
The Minister of the Economy, Elisabeth Svantesson, present at the press conference, said she was aware of the cost represented by this project. An investigation will be carried out in this regard “as quickly as possible”, she assured. With the expansion of nuclear energy, the risk “is rather to accumulate a massive mountain of debt on the (back) of the Swedish taxpayer”, reacted Rolf Lindahl, spokesperson for Greenpeace.
“All comparable nuclear projects launched in Europe, in France, Finland and the United Kingdom, have suffered from significant cost increases and delays,” he said. “There’s no indication that won’t happen here as well.” This announcement comes as European Union countries prepare for a new winter with reduced supplies of Russian gas, which has sent electricity prices soaring.