For the first time in 40 years, Rolls-Royce will build new nuclear reactors in Sweden
The Swedish energy group Videberg Kraft has selected the British company Rolls-Royce to carry out a large-scale project to build three small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs). The project will be a landmark for the country, as it will mark the first construction of new nuclear reactors in Sweden in over 40 years.
The company noted that it is consistently working to develop a new generation of nuclear power and strengthen the country’s energy security. The choice of Rolls-Royce technology was an important step toward realizing these plans.
According to the project, three small modular reactors, each with a capacity of 470 MW, are planned for construction. Together, they will be able to generate approximately 12 TWh of electricity annually without using fossil fuels.
A key feature of the technology is its modular production principle, whereby the reactor’s main components are manufactured at factories, delivered to the site fully assembled, and assembled directly at the operating location. This approach reduces construction time and lowers costs.
The first reactor is expected to be commissioned around 2035.
Small modular reactor technology is also being actively considered in Ukraine as one of the key areas for energy sector development after the war.
In October 2025, a bill was presented to the Verkhovna Rada that would allow private companies to build SMRs and attract investment for the creation of new energy capacity.
Earlier, former Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko stated that, as part of its “green transition,” Ukraine is considering the possibility of constructing up to 20 small modular reactors to replace destroyed thermal power plants.
In March 2023, Energoatom and Rolls-Royce SMR signed a memorandum of cooperation regarding the future implementation of small modular reactor technology in Ukraine.
In addition, in November 2024, Ukraine and the United States announced the launch of three new SMR projects as part of the international FIRST program. And in the spring of that same year, an agreement was signed between Energoatom and Holtec International to establish production of components for small modular reactors in Ukraine.
Small modular reactors are considered one of the most promising areas for the development of nuclear energy. They are smaller in size, can be built more quickly, require less initial investment, and can operate both independently and as part of larger power systems.
This is stated in a report by Videberg Kraft.
As a reminder, the world’s nine nuclear powers—the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, China, India, Pakistan, North Korea, and Israel—continued a large-scale modernization of their nuclear arsenals in 2025.
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