Last fall, the government launched a proposal for allowing nuclear power along the coasts for the first time. Now the Tidö parties, the government and the Sweden Democrats are moving forward with an ambitious proposal.
"It is a new start, but we have not reached the goal yet," says Energy Minister Ebba Busch (KD).
Specifically, the legislative council's recommendation would lift the ban on nuclear power plants in the coastal areas of Bohuslän from the Norwegian border to Brofjorden, in Småland and Östergötland from Simpevarp to Arkösund, and in Ångermanland from Storfjärden at the mouth of the Ångermanälven to Skagsudde.
Climate and Environment Minister Romina Pourmokhtari (L) would welcome reactors in new locations along the coast.
"The government would be happy to see that. I have invited many municipal representatives to meetings where they participated and showed great interest in nuclear power in their municipality," she says.
Faces immediate criticism
In addition, those who want to build new reactors should receive earlier approval, in order to "find out whether a technical solution meets the necessary requirements." The testing will thus become more predictable, which increases the willingness to invest, according to Pourmokhtari.
"New and established players should see Sweden as a nuclear power country."
But the municipal veto will remain, according to the minister.
However, the opposition parties, the Center Party and the Green Party, are strongly critical and believe that it would be "deeply irresponsible," even "insane," to build new reactors in new locations in Sweden's archipelagos.
"We are cleaning up"
In the legislative council's submission, the government also proposes changes that will make it possible to restart decommissioned nuclear reactors. However, it is unlikely that any of the reactors that have been shut down in Sweden would be restarted.
"This should be seen more as cleaning up the general obstacles that have built up in the legislation," says Minister of Financial Markets Niklas Wykman (M).
At the same time, he announces that negotiations with the recently established company Videberg Kraft have begun regarding new reactors on the Värö peninsula near Ringhals. A secretariat at the Ministry of Finance is handling the negotiations on behalf of the state.
"This should be as cheap as possible for taxpayers. There are many things that need to be sorted out; it's complicated," says Wykman.
The final result must then be tested and approved by the EU. There is no date for when the negotiations will be completed.
