Sweden - World Nuclear Outlook Report

Current operations

Sweden has six operable nuclear reactors: three at Forsmark, one at Oskarshamn and two at Ringhals.

In June 2024 Vattenfall announced plans to extend the operation of all five Forsmark and Ringhals reactors from 60 to 80 years. The owners of Oskarshamn 3, Uniper and Fortum, are considering extending its operating lifetime from 60 to 80 years, with a final decision expected in the early 2030s. New reactor control systems from Framatome are being installed at Ringhals 3 in 2026 and Ringhals 4 in 2027.

Table Se.1 Nuclear capacity status (as of 1 October 2026)

Nuclear policy and outlook

Sweden had a nuclear phase-out policy from 1980 that was repealed in 2010. In June 2023 Sweden replaced its energy target of “100% renewable” electricity by 2040 with “100% fossil-free” electricity. In November 2023 the government announced plans to construct two large-scale reactors by 2035, increasing to the equivalent of 10 new large reactors in total, including small modular reactors (SMRs), by 2045.

In May 2025 Sweden’s parliament approved state aid for companies investing in new nuclear reactors, in the form of state loans and two-way contracts for difference, limited to about 5000 MWe. By the end of August 2026 the government had received six applications for state aid, as well as several applications for government approval of nuclear facilities.

In November 2023 Vattenfall applied for planning permission to build new nuclear generating capacity on the Värö peninsula to the west of the Ringhals plant. In June 2026 its Videberg Kraft majority-owned subsidiary selected Rolls-Royce SMR for three units of 498 MWe each, with first power now expected in the mid-2030s.

Later in June 2026, the government agreed terms under which the state will hold 60% of Videberg Kraft, with Vattenfall and the industrial consortium Industrikraft holding 20% each.

Blykalla plans a six-unit plant at Norrsundet near Gävle and a six-to-eight-unit plant at Untra in Tierp municipality, both using 55 MWe SEALER lead-cooled fast reactors and targeting first power in the first half of the 2030s.

In March 2026, Kärnfull Next submitted an application for 4-6 BWRX-300 reactors at Valdemarsvik in Östergötland county. Also in March 2026 Studsvik agreed to acquire Kärnfull Next for €6.5 million, completing the acquisition in May.

In May 2026 Studsvik applied to the government to build new nuclear capacity at its long-established industrial site near Nyköping. Studsvik said the application spanned two-to-four reactors with combined capacity of between 600 and 1400 MWe. In June 2026 it applied for state aid covering both Nyköping and Valdemarsvik, saying it would choose between them later, and in September 2026 it formed a consortium with GE Vernova Hitachi and Samsung C&T for a four-unit BWRX-300 project of about 1200 MWe.

Table Se.2 Contributions to total capacity projection in 2050 (gross)

Readiness Assessment

Sweden has a mature nuclear sector, with six reactors providing about 30% of its electricity, and has put in place legislation, a state financing model and state ownership of the first new project. Reaching the ambition of 10 new large reactors or their equivalent by 2045 will require rapid progress from the first project to serial construction.