We have moved here. We have small children and this concerns their future, says Yannic as he and his family head into city hall to vote no.
"I'm planning to vote in favor. I think it's good for our little town. We need people to move in and we need more capital," says Elisabeth Carlsson.
Municipal referendums are advisory, but the leaders of the three largest parties (M, SD and S) tell TT that they intend to follow the results.
It is clear that we must follow the will of the people, says Deputy Chairman of the Municipal Board Tommy Strannemalm (SD).
Candidate for SMR
The Karlshamn government (M, SD and KD) has from the start wanted to investigate the conditions for nuclear power, while the opposition has pushed for a referendum.
Project development company Kärnfull Next has already named Karlshamn as one of its four candidate municipalities for the establishment of small modular reactors (SMRs). The company's Chief Strategy Officer John Ahlberg welcomes the vote.
We have done our feasibility studies and we think there are good conditions, but with projects like this there must be local acceptance and support.
Concerns about waste
For Yannic, who voted no, it is the uncertainty about how nuclear waste will be disposed of that weighs most heavily.
No voters Agne and Lillian are not against new nuclear power, but believe that it should be built where there are already nuclear power plants. That argument does not appeal to yes voter Juliën Vergoossen:
We all need electricity, we all want to drive electric cars and be green - but we don't want nuclear power in our own backyard. There's something wrong with that way of thinking.
The islanders see Karlshamn as a suitable location, as the municipality already houses an oil power plant.
I think it should be placed where there is an expanded infrastructure, says Lars Elmberg.
“Most important question”
Opposition councilor Ida Lapell (S) is campaigning for a no.
"If we are going to build new nuclear power, we think we should do it where it exists today. It's faster and cheaper. There is infrastructure, knowledge and local acceptance," she says.
M municipal councilor Magnus Gärdebring sees nuclear power as the most important single issue for Karlshamn in a long time.
It's a question of which direction Karlshamn should take. If you say no, you risk a lot, because it's a signal that we don't necessarily want companies to establish themselves here. A yes gives correspondingly positive signals.
