Kärnfull Next, recently acquired by Studsvik, has submitted the first application under Sweden’s new Act on Government Approval of Nuclear Facilities. The application for a planned small modular reactor (SMR) campus in Valdemarsvik, southern Sweden, was formally submitted to Johan Britz, Minister for Employment and acting Minister for Climate & the Environment.
The new legislation introduces an early-stage government approval process designed to improve predictability and accelerate the deployment of new nuclear capacity. “This is a clear step from concept to formal permitting,” said Christian Sjölander, CEO of Kärnfull Next. “Sweden needs new dispatchable, fossil-free power – particularly in the south – and this application shows that real projects are now moving forward.”
The Valdemarsvik project is part of Kärnfull Next’s ReFirm South programme, a portfolio of sites being developed for SMR deployment across southern Sweden. The application was submitted by project company ReFirm Målma and represents the first stage in a broader licensing process, including environmental and nuclear regulatory approvals.
Kärnfull Next says the Valdemarsvik project could, if approved, deliver new stable and fossil-free power generation to support Sweden’s growing electricity demand. The company plans to submit additional applications for other ReFirm sites later this year.
