Another Swedish municipality named as SMR candidate site

Monday, 24 February 2025

Small modular reactor (SMR) project development company Kärnfull Next said it has signed cooperation agreements with landowners to conduct the studies on properties in Elleholm and Guö-Köpagårda, respectively.

The feasibility studies will be conducted under Kärnfull Next's Re:Firm South SMR programme, which aims to expand carbon-free and dispatchable energy production across southern Sweden. The studies will include technical, environmental, societal and economic evaluations of the two properties.

"The decision is based, in part, on the extensive location analysis carried out by [development agency] Region Blekinge. In this study, Kärnfull Next contributed its expertise and data to identify suitable sites for new nuclear power production in the county," Kärnfull Next said. "As part of the feasibility study process, Karlshamn has now emerged as a new candidate location within the SMR programme Re:Firm South, joining previously announced projects in Valdemarsvik, Motala, and Nyköping."

The company noted that, over the past year, Karlshamn has been recognised as a strategically important site for new nuclear power in Sweden. The municipality has, among other things, received funding from the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency to investigate the possibilities for new nuclear energy production. In addition, it says Region Blekinge's analysis highlights the area as "one of the most promising in the country for establishing SMRs", with the national coordinator for new nuclear power, Carl Berglöf, recently stating that Karlshamn "could rank among the top ten potential locations for future reactor projects".

"Karlshamn has several advantages that make it a strong candidate for new nuclear power," said John Eliasson, head of business development at Kärnfull Next. "The existing energy infrastructure, grid connectivity, and the regional industry's need for a stable power supply are factors that make Elleholm and Guö-Köpagårda particularly interesting for further analysis."

The company said the evaluation process is being conducted in dialogue with Karlshamn Municipality and other relevant stakeholders to ensure that the project aligns with both local and national energy goals.

"We look forward to deepening our analyses and exploring how SMRs can contribute to a sustainable and stable energy supply in Blekinge," Eliasson said. "Through our work, we are creating the conditions for Karlshamn to become an important part of Sweden's future fossil-free energy system."

In March 2022, Kärnfull Next signed a memorandum of understanding with GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy on the deployment of the BWRX-300 in Sweden.

Kärnfull Next has been conducting site selection and feasibility studies in several municipalities in Sweden since 2022. By establishing multiple SMR parks as part of the same programme, the company expects to achieve economies of scale in terms of technology selection, construction partners, power purchase agreements and financing partners.