Blykalla starts work on non-nuclear prototype SMR

Monday, 3 February 2025

The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by Swedish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy Ebba Busch.

The Advanced Reactor Testing Site will house the electrical SEALER-E prototype reactor and aims to validate critical components and safety systems. The project is a collaborative effort including partners from Uniper, ABB, NCC and the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH). The Swedish Energy Agency has awarded a SEK99 million (USD9.3 million) grant for the project.

"This test facility is a significant step forward for Swedish nuclear innovation and a testament to the power of collaboration," said Blykalla CEO Jacob Stedman. "By uniting public and private partners, we are creating a foundation for the energy solutions the world urgently needs."

On 31 January, Blykalla announced it had selected NCC AB as the construction partner for the new test facility next to the Oskarshamn nuclear power plant. NCC will be responsible for the construction of the test facility, including site preparations and necessary installations.

The first phase of construction is expected to be completed by June with tests starting during the third quarter of 2025. 

Blykalla - formerly called LeadCold - is a spin-off from the KTH, where lead-cooled reactor systems have been under development since 1996. The company - founded in 2013 as a joint stock company - is developing the SEALER.

A demonstration SEALER (SEALER-D) is planned to have a thermal output of 80 MW. As in future commercial reactors from Blykalla, the fuel rods will be cooled by 800 tonnes of liquid lead. The reactor will have a height and diameter of about 5 metres.

Blykalla's goal is for its first 140 MWt SEALER-55 commercial reactor to be ready for operation in the early 2030s.