The Swedish government has agreed to remove the ban on building new reactors, thirty years after it agreed to the gradual end of this type of energy source. The ruling coalition in Sweden has justified the move, citing the need to combat climate change and the need to secure energy supplies at a time of uncertainty.
In 1980, a referendum conducted in the country decided not to prolong the life of the twelve existing reactors, and close them when they have exhausted their expected time of activity. Since then, only two of twelve reactors have been closed. The Swedish government proposes that the remaining ones be replaced with new nuclear power generation technology that is more secure and efficient.
Surveys have shown in recent years the growing support for nuclear energy, given the lack of alternatives for electricity generation in large volume. 50 percent of the electricity consumed in Sweden is now nuclear. Members of the Swedish government have accepted that nuclear power is an imperative part of electricity supply in the foreseeable future. One of three nuclear reactors in the world is in the EU.
