An assessment program has been submitted to the Governor of Svalbard in Norway for the construction of a small modular reactor (SMR) power plant on the Norwegian Arctic Archipelago, marking the first formal step towards building the facility.
In June of this year, Swedish lead-cooled SMR technology developer Blykalla and Norwegian nuclear project developer Norsk Kjernekraft announced the creation of a joint project company, Svalbard Kjernekraft AS.
Longyearbyen is the administrative center of the Svalbard archipelago. It was powered by coal until 2023. Since the closure of the coal plant, temporary diesel generator have been installed, resulting in higher costs and reduced reliability. Blykalla and Norsk Kjernekraft intend to build a compact SMR that connects to the existing electricity and district heating grid, effectively replacing the old coal infrastructure.
Svalbard Kjernekraft has submitted a planning initiative for a Swedish Advanced Lead Reactor lead-cooled (SEALER) SMR in Longyearbyen. The document describes the project, local conditions and suggests topics for further investigation. The list of topics includes the environment and biodiversity, safety, waste management, ripple effects for society and effects on local businesses and jobs. The final location for the nuclear power plant will be determined following the impact assessment.
Blykalla said, “With the planning initiative submitted, the next stage is for the Governor of Svalbard to set the scope of the environmental impact assessment. Once that is in place, detailed studies and stakeholder consultations can begin, paving the way for the licensing process and eventual construction.”
Janne Wallenius is the co-founder and CTO of Blykalla. He said, “We are proud that this Swedish technology can deliver stable, emissions-free power to Svalbard. Our lead-cooled reactors are ideal for this kind of remote application. We are proud that this Swedish technology can deliver stable, emissions-free power to Svalbard. Our lead-cooled reactors are ideal for this kind of remote application.”
Blykalla added, “The company said the Longyearbyen project will “also serve as a showcase for how advanced SMR technology can help secure energy supply in places with limited energy capacity, both in the Nordics and around the world”.
Jonny Hesthammer is the CEO of Norsk Kjernekraft. He added, “This collaboration marks a new chapter in Norway’s history as a polar nation. Reliable and affordable energy is a prerequisite for Norway’s continued assertion of sovereignty in Svalbard, especially given the current geopolitical situation. Now that the coal-fired power plant in Longyearbyen has been closed, nuclear power is the only long-term solution to maintain energy security without using fossil fuels.”
In February of this year, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Blykalla and Norsk Kjernekraft to partner on the deployment of Blykalla’s SEALER in Scandinavia. Under the MoU, the two companies are to review the business case for integrating the SEALER into power plant projects currently under development by Norsk Kjernekraft, evaluating site suitability, regulatory pathways, and economic feasibility for deployment in Norway. In addition, the agreement outlines collaboration on licensing, financing, construction, and operational aspects of Blykalla’s first reactor, SEALER-One, in Sweden. The MoU also includes an agreement to explore the possibility of providing electricity to remote locations.
Blykalla was formerly called LeadCold. It is a spin-off from the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, where lead-cooled reactor systems have been under development since 1996. The company was founded in 2013 as a joint stock company. It is developing the SEALER SMR.
SEALER-One is Blykalla’s first nuclear reactor and commercial venture in the nuclear industry. It will serve as a demonstration of its technology, and at the same time be used for pyrolysis. Industrial customers can utilize its steam for decarbonized biochar production. The company intends to achieve criticality of SEALER-One by 2029.