"The starting point is that the availability of nuclear power plants is good and there are good water levels in the hydroelectric power plants' reservoirs", says Svenska kraftnät's operations manager Pontus de Maré in a written comment.
When it's coldest, Sweden needs to import electricity. That's how it is every winter. During the so-called peak hour, the cold winter hour when the electricity shortage in Sweden is estimated to be the largest, the forecast for a normal winter this year is an electricity import of 1,300 Megawatt (MW). That's equivalent to a nuclear reactor. Last winter, this hour occurred on January 16 with an import peak of 2,330 MWh/h, according to Svenska kraftnät.
"After the recent winters, we can conclude that we can handle a situation with import needs. The power system is stable. The risk is higher if we suddenly get changed conditions when we have high consumption", says Pontus de Maré.
Some reasons for reduced vulnerability are more wind power in the system, and that consumers, including industries, are more flexible than before, according to de Maré.
In addition, there is the reserve power plant in Karlshamn.
