Sweden: nuclear power, yes please!
Sweden's conservative government plans to expand nuclear power. Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has announced plans to increase the upper limit of ten power plants nationwide and invest in new small reactors. The phasing out of nuclear power for which the Swedish people voted in a 1980 referendum but which has repeatedly been postponed is thus off the table. Commentators call for further steps in this direction.
A clear line at last
Göteborgs-Posten welcomes the initiative:
“The back-and-forthing on nuclear power has hurt Sweden. We've lagged behind in research. We've failed to make necessary investments in nuclear power, thereby signalling to market players that it's not worth investing in this type of energy - and then blamed 'the market' when reactors have been shut down. It's good that the government is now taking a clear line. But the Social Democrats also have a responsibility. If they win the elections in 2026, they must continue with the new line instead of letting the Centre Party and the Greens dictate an ideologically driven resistance to nuclear power. The back-and-forthing must come to an end.”
Seek an agreement with the opposition
Sydsvenskan would like to see a cross-party parliamentary agreement:
“The parliamentary majority that is now helping [Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson] may be gone after the next election, and then energy policy could be rewritten - which is exactly what nuclear power investors want to avoid. ... It would have been better for Sweden if the government had invited the people to engage in frank discussions on energy policy. ... Now there is a danger that in four years' time [after the next elections] we will be back to square one.”