EU ‘must not stand in the way of nuclear power’: Swedish deputy PM

A majority of EU countries favor use of nuclear power, so EU institutions, including the European Commission, "must not stand in the way of nuclear power," Sweden's energy minister and deputy prime minister said in remarks to journalists at a Paris industry conference Sept. 19.

Ebba Busch was speaking at the Roadmaps to New Nuclear conference organized by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's Nuclear Energy Agency.

She said that while Sweden "believes that each EU member state has a right to select its own energy technology," certain member states cannot prevent the use of nuclear power by European Union countries. She also emphasized that a majority of EU member states, as well as a majority of the European Council of ministers, favor nuclear power.

The European Council is made up of the heads of state or government of all EU countries, the European Council President and the European Commission President. The EU has traditionally been hesitant about promoting the use of nuclear power due to fervent opposition by countries such as Austria, Germany, Ireland and Luxembourg.

Busch also noted that Sweden had been "very proud" to establish the EU Nuclear Alliance when it held the presidency of the European Union during the first half of 2023.

The European Nuclear Alliance is made up of 12 EU countries that "will work together and with the European Commission and support like-minded international efforts, with a view to bringing about a strong European nuclear industry," according to the website of French President Emmanuel Macron's office.

"The Nuclear Alliance is key for Europe," Busch said, adding that "state aid for the nuclear industry is also key in Europe."

She noted that "state support is very strong for the nuclear sector in the US and in China. Europe needs to keep pace with this."

Busch also said that, domestically, Sweden has a target of adding 2.5 GW of new nuclear capacity by 2035, noting that "Sweden must double power production by 2045."

In addition to the 2.5 GW of potential new nuclear capacity, the country intends to "add new nuclear capacity equal to power production of 10 large reactors by 2045," Busch said.

This could be in the form of large new units or small modular reactors, she added.

Sweden is "targeting all issues hindering new nuclear, including regulation and the disposal" of highly radioactive nuclear waste, Busch said.