Videberg Kraft, a nuclear project company jointly owned by Vattenfall and Industrikraft with the Swedish state slated to become the majority owner, has officially selected Rolls-Royce SMR as its technology supplier for a new Swedish nuclear power project. This decision follows an extensive three-year evaluation process that considered 75 different options. The chosen site for this ambitious undertaking is the Värö Peninsula, located near Ringhals. This initiative represents Sweden’s first new nuclear power plant in over four decades and is expected to significantly enhance the national grid’s capacity by approximately 1.5 GW.
The new Swedish nuclear power project is strategically targeting a first operating unit by the mid-2030s. This timeline aligns with Sweden’s broader energy strategy and its commitment to expanding nuclear generating capacity.
With this selection for the new Swedish nuclear power project, Sweden becomes the third European nation to adopt Rolls-Royce SMR technology, joining the Czech Republic and the United Kingdom.
Desirée Comstedt, acting CEO of Videberg Kraft, said, “By choosing to move forward with Rolls-Royce SMR, Videberg Kraft and its owner companies also become part of a European programme, where we can benefit from shared experience.”
Chris Cholerton, CEO of Rolls-Royce SMR, said, “We are delighted to have been selected by Videberg Kraft as its partner to bring new nuclear power to Sweden.”
Anna Borg, a Board member of Videberg Kraft and CEO of Vattenfall, said, “Overall, the board’s assessment is that Rolls-Royce SMR is the supplier that can give Videberg Kraft the best pre-requisites for delivering a successful project. The reactor, a pressurised water reactor (PWR), is the same type used at Ringhals today and is a well-proven technology. Moreover, Rolls-Royce SMR has a commercially attractive contractual set-up.”
The Rolls-Royce SMR design features a 470 MWe small pressurised water reactor. This technology is engineered to provide consistent baseload electricity generation for a minimum of 60 years. A key aspect of its development is the factory-based manufacturing approach, where approximately 90 percent of the SMR will be constructed in controlled factory environments. This modular construction method involves assembling pre-fabricated and pre-tested components on-site, which significantly mitigates project risks and has the potential to accelerate build schedules. The SMR unit itself measures approximately 16 metres by 4 metres.
