“We’ve learned a lot”

Three years ago stated a study from Energiforskthe energy industry’s joint research company, that it was not particularly likely that small and modular reactors, so-called SMRs, would be built in Sweden in the near future.

Just two years ago, Vattenfall said that it was not relevant for the company to invest in small and modular reactors. Instead, they wanted to focus on running the existing large reactors for a long time.

“Development has come so far”

But now the wind has turned. The government has notified that the Radiation Safety Authority should be tasked with drawing up new regulations for small and modular reactors. And Vattenfall will make one pilot study about building at least two such mini-reactors in the Ringhals area.

– We want the preliminary study to answer what conditions we need to have in place, a business case must be presented, of course, strategies for how we will take care of the waste from different reactor technologies, partnership opportunities and what type of regulations need to be in place, says Desirée Comstedt, business development manager for nuclear power at Vattenfall.

Why have you decided on the feasibility study now?

– We believe that SMR can be a good complement in the future market. Development has come so far. We have learned a lot, for example we became a partner in the Estonian nuclear power company Fermi Energia a year and a half ago, and now we want to find out if we want to include SMR in our portfolio in Vattenfall as well.

“Profitability is extremely important”

So far, Vattenfall has not decided which type of SMR will be included in the feasibility study. But the concept of light water reactors will be the closest to hand because that technology is in operation in large-scale nuclear power plants today. SMR concepts from Nuscale, GE Hitachi or Rolls-Royce are therefore well suited.

– But in the preliminary study, we will not go very deep into the choice of technology. The feasibility study deals a lot with regulations, ownership structures, project management, suppliers, logistics and sustainability. Profitability is very important. Is this a profitable investment and right in the energy mix we see going forward? We see a huge need for electricity after 2035 and then we will need all fossil-free power types, says Desirée Comstedt.

The most common definition of SMR is units of a maximum of 300 MW, is that the size you see in front of you in the study?

– Yes, somewhere around that, a little depending on which SMR you choose in the end.

“We have focused on Ringhals”

One of the hopes with SMRs is that they will be cheaper to build because they can be serially produced in a factory and then shipped to the site where they are assembled. The idea is based on the fact that a reactor concept can be type-approved so that each individual specimen does not then have to undergo a new permit process.

– The business case includes investigating what is required in terms of licensing in order for there to be a favorable cost for SMR and a profitable investment. We will look at what we think is reasonable, but we have targeted Ringhals. Within the framework of the feasibility study, we will not look at the possibility of building in different locations in the country, says Desirée Comstedt.

“Incredibly big difference between different concepts”

But Per Seltborg, head of research at the Radiation Safety Agency, is not so sure that such a type approval can be possible in Sweden.

– It is not something that we have taken a position on yet, but I know that it is brought up in the debate. In principle, I can say that each reactor must be approved separately. Then there may be parts that may be type-approved. But each reactor is an individual and each reactor will need to be given a special permit, he says.

What cost do you think the mini-reactors in Ringhals will cost?

– It is very dependent on how many SMRs come forward now. It is also something that we must thoroughly understand. There is an incredibly large difference between different concepts. Rolls-Royce offers a turnkey solution so when they hand over, the operating staff is included and everything is ready, while Hitachi delivers the entire reactor but then costs are added to the site, for example cooling, says Desirée Comstedt.

Are there any SMRs on the market today?

– Of the Western concepts, there are none in conventional operation today, but there are far-reaching plans in several directions. The first reactor is to be put into test operation in 2026 in Canada, she says.