Nordic partnership for SEALER SMR deployment

Wednesday, 26 February 2025

Under the MoU, the two companies will assess the business case for integrating the SEALER into power plant projects currently under development by Norsk Kjernekraft, evaluating site suitability, regulatory pathways, and economic feasibility for deployment in Norway.

Additionally, the agreement outlines collaboration on licensing, financing, construction, and operational aspects of Blykalla's first reactor, SEALER-One, in Sweden. As part of this, Norsk Kjernekraft will explore various roles in the Swedish market, including potential participation in the SEALER-One project company and investment opportunities in Blykalla. 

The MoU also includes a commitment to explore the possibility of providing electricity to remote locations. "This initiative could contribute to long-term advancements in energy security, sovereignty, and sustainability in locations such as Svalbard and northern Scandinavia," the partners said.

They added: "The agreement is an important step toward strengthening nuclear energy development and exploring opportunities for cooperation in supply chains, licensing, financing, and research between the two nations."

"Collaborating with Norsk Kjernekraft is a natural step forward as we bring lead-cooled SMRs to Scandinavia," said Blykalla CEO Jacob Stedman. "By joining forces, we can accelerate the path to deployment in both Sweden and Norway while contributing to stable and clean energy for the region."

"This partnership aligns with Norsk Kjernekraft's mission to develop and implement next-generation nuclear power solutions," said Norsk Kjernekraft CEO Jonny Hesthammer. "By assessing the feasibility of SEALER reactors in our projects, we aim to bring innovative and reliable nuclear power to the Scandinavian energy landscape."

A joint statement added: "As discussions progress, the parties will continue to evaluate opportunities for deeper collaboration to support their shared objectives."

Blykalla - formerly called LeadCold - is a spin-off from the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, 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 (Swedish Advanced Lead Reactor) lead-cooled SMR.

SEALER-One is Blykalla's first nuclear reactor and commercial venture. It will function as a demonstration of its technology, and at the same time be used for pyrolysis, whereby industrial customers can utilise its steam for, among other things, decarbonised biochar production. The company aims to achieve criticality of SEALER-One by 2029.

Blykalla has a letter of intent in place with nuclear operator Studsvik to develop SEALER-One on its site in Nyköping, Sweden. Licensing work is currently under way.

Norsk Kjernekraft aims to build, own and operate SMR power plants in Norway in collaboration with power-intensive industry.