5 Feb (NucNet): All four non-socialist parties in Sweden�s coalition government today confirmed plans to overturn a national ban and allow new nuclear reactor units to be built in the country (see NucNet News Alert No. 1, 5 February 2009).*

The agreement on future energy policy is a compromise, with the limitation that new reactors are built only as replacements for old units and no new construction sites will be accepted. Nothing has been said to date about any limitation on the size of any new units.

The government will present an energy bill to Sweden�s parliament not later than 16 March 2009 and there will be a vote in parliament before the summer recess.

The coalition government comprises the Conservative Party, Liberal Party, Christian Democratic Party and the Centre Party.

In a referendum about the future of nuclear power in March 1980, the Christian Democrats and the Centre wanted to close all of Sweden�s nuclear power plants as soon as possible � the most negative approach to nuclear put forward in the referendum. Later the same year, parliament decided nuclear power should be phased out by 2010.

However, a change in attitude started before the end of 2008 when the Liberals said they accepted new reactors could be built by investors without any political limitation. On 29 January 2009, the Christian Democrats presented the compromise agreement outlined today. On 2 February, the Centre leader Maud Olofsson declared that her party had begun an internal debate about a positive attitude to the energy compromise.

In negotiations with the other coalition partners, the Centre is expected to seek greater emphasis on wind power and energy savings in the near future.

The Social Democratic Party is the main opposition in Sweden and declared in November 2008 that it had started cooperation with the Left Party and the Green Party with the intention to form a political alliance before parliamentary elections due in September 2010.

The Social Democrats have said they cannot accept new nuclear build in Sweden. However, the Social Democrats are divided because of affiliations with trade unions.

The leaders of the federations of trade unions, with members in the electricity-intensive Swedish industries (mainly steel, paper and mining), have long tried to change Social Democrats� negative attitude to nuclear. In fact, these federations have been cooperating with the industry in a pro-nuclear campaign since the autumn of 2008.

Power production in Sweden is almost free from carbon dioxide releases, with 50 percent hydropower and almost 50 percent nuclear. During the last few years there has been a small net import of electricity from Denmark and Germany.

According to the agreement�s proposals, which must be ratified by parliament:

� The number of operational reactors in the country would be limited to 10;

� There are already 10 units in commercial operation in Sweden and permission would be required to gradually replace those units;

� Any new units would have to be built at existing nuclear plant sites;

� There would be no direct or indirect state aid for nuclear power projects.

Details of the energy agreement will be published later today in English on the Swedish government�s web site (http://www.regeringen.se).

*This article is based on analysis provided by Swedish energy consultant Carl-Erik Wikdahl.

>>Related reports in the NucNet database (available to subscribers)

Swedish Poll Shows Increasing Support For Nuclear (News No. 51, 26 June 2008)

Sweden�s Government Set To Overturn Ban On New Nuclear Units (News Alert No. 1, 5 February 2009)

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