The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (Naturvårdsverket) has distributed SEK19.8m ($2.2m) to nine municipalities that have applied to carry out feasibility studies for the establishment of new nuclear power.
The government has commissioned the Agency to distribute grants in 2026 to finance municipal feasibility studies that can contribute to the effective establishment of new nuclear power. The preliminary studies are intended to contribute to and enable effective planning and permitting processes for nuclear power.
Applications have been received from nine municipalities, seven of which have been awarded grants in previous application rounds during 2024–2025. Two municipalities – Nyköping and Söderhamn – are new applicants. The grants were distributed as follows: Gävle SEK550,000; Kävlinge SEK1m; Nyköping SEK1m; Oskarshamn SEK4.35m; Svalöv SEK1.9m; Söderhamn SEK2.5m; Valdemarsvik SEK3.3m; Varberg SEK3.5m; and Östhammar SEK3.5m.
“A lot of interesting results and experiences emerged through the pilot projects that the municipalities carried out in previous grant rounds,” said Lina Vogel, acting head of unit at the department for planning, testing and supervision. “These results can now, through this year’s grant distribution, be taken further and deepened or supplemented. We will follow the municipalities’ continued work, and our task is to ensure that good opportunities are given for exchange between the municipalities and also with us and authorities in the area.”
By 15 December at the latest, the municipalities must report results and experiences of the work to the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency and work on the feasibility studies must be completed by 31 March 2027.
Government investment extends over several years. SEK20m annually is announced for the years 2027–2030 so that the Agency can continue to pay grants for this type of feasibility study. In 2024–2025, the Agency on behalf of the government distributed SEK15m to 13 municipalities for the implementation of various pilot projects for planning new nuclear power.
In October 2022, Sweden’s new coalition government adopted positive policies towards nuclear energy and in November 2023 announced a roadmap for the construction of new nuclear generating capacity. This was equivalent to at least two large-scale reactors by 2035, with the equivalent of up to 10 new large-scale reactors (including small modular reactors) coming online by 2045. New legislation on state aid was adopted in August 2025 and the first such for aid was made the following December to support proposals for either five GE Vernova Hitachi BWRX-300 reactors or three Rolls-Royce SMRs to provide about 1,500 MW capacity at Ringhals on the Värö Peninsula. The application came from Videberg Kraft, a project company owned by Vattenfall and supported by industrial firms through the Industrikraft i Sverige AB consortium. The government is now planning to take a majority stake in Videberg Kraft.
