Swedish nuclear energy company Blykalla and Norway’s Institute for Energy Technology (IFE) have agreed a strategic collaboration to accelerate the technical development of Blykalla’s SEALER small modular reactor (SMR).
Blykalla, founded in 2013, is a spin-off from the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm. Its SMR prototype SEALER (Swedish Advanced Lead-cooled Reactor) design is a fast compact reactor with passive safety. Each reactor will have a 55 MWe capacity, which can be increased by installing multiple units at the same location. The reactor is designed with the smallest possible core that can achieve criticality in a fast spectrum using 19.9% enriched nitride fuel.
The collaboration focuses on a number of critical areas seen as essential for scaling SEALER from prototype to full commercial readiness. These include the development of control room and operator environments, based on modern Human Factors Engineering principles, as well as the design of instrumentation and control systems to enable remote and autonomous operation. IFE will also contribute to the engineering of core mechanical components, such as shutdown assemblies and fuel handling systems, and support the design of radiation shielding to meet rigorous regulatory requirements.
Blykalla said prototype development and component testing will be a central part of the work, helping to mature instrumentation of core, primary system and auxiliary systems, and reduce the technical risks associated with licensing and deployment. Blykalla and IFE aim to speed up the transition from low technology readiness levels to the industrial standards needed for commercial rollout.
Blykalla plans to deploy up to 1,000 SMRs by 2050, delivering 500 TWh of clean energy annually to industrial users that cannot rely on intermittent power sources. SEALER is designed to serve sectors such as hydrogen production, process heat, and pyrolysis, with the potential of significantly reducing global CO₂ emissions and securing industrial resilience and growth.
“Strengthening Scandinavian collaboration feels both vital and natural at a time when technological sovereignty is becoming central to industrial growth and long-term sustainability,” said Blykalla CEO Jacob Stedman. “Partnerships between leading actors can make all the difference in bringing new technologies to market and securing a clean energy future for our region.” Vice President at IFE Nuclear Bjørn Axel Gran commented: “We’re pleased that our competence and expertise will be used in the next stage of the nuclear area. Partnership with Blykalla allows them to take research into innovation and allows us to get firsthand learning of future research gaps.”
By combining Blykalla’s reactor design with IFE’s expertise in nuclear systems engineering, the partnership aims to unlock the next stage in SMR deployment “turning advanced concepts into certified, buildable technology”. Initial joint development will take place in Sweden and Norway, with further phases aligned to SEALER’s licensing and industrialisation timeline.
Blykalla plans to construct its first reactor, SEALER-One, in Sweden as a demonstration of its technology in which it will be used for pyrolysis, enabling industrial customers to utilise its steam. The company aims to achieve criticality of SEALER-One by 2029. In 2022, Blykalla (then called LeadCold) launched a feasibility study to investigate the conditions for building and operating a nuclear research reactor at Sweden’s Studsvik with associated fuel fabrication infrastructure. Blykalla has a letter of intent in place with Studsvik to develop SEALER-One on its site in Nyköping with licensing work under way.
In February, Blykalla and Norway’s Norsk Kjernekraft signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on the deployment of SEALER in Scandinavia. The companies will assess the business case for integrating the SEALER into power plant projects currently under development by Norsk Kjernekraft in Norway. The agreement also covers collaboration on licensing, financing, construction, and operational aspects of SEALER-One in Sweden.
