Sweden pushes nuclear power regulation for 'more electricity production'

Sweden is preparing legislation to allow the construction of more nuclear power stations to boost electricity production in the Nordic country and bolster energy security, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has said.

"We have an obvious need for more electricity production in Sweden," Kristersson told a news conference on Wednesday.

Kristersson has made expanding nuclear power generation a key goal for his government, seeking to reverse a process of gradual closures of several reactors in the past couple of decades that has left the country relying more heavily on renewable but sometimes less predictable energy.

"What we are doing today is changing legislation to allow for the construction of more nuclear reactors at more places," he added. 

The proposed new legislation, which still needs to be passed by parliament, would allow new reactors to be constructed in more places across Sweden and was seen being in place in March of next year.

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Energy shortages

Sweden in August raised its risk assessment of shortages during the winter to "real" from "low".

Energy Minister Ebba Busch told earlier that the likelihood of shortages would decrease substantially if consumers could use 2 percent less, or shift 2 percent of consumption to times outside the morning and evening peak hours.

"Every kilowatt hour counts," she said.

In another setback to supply in the Nordic and Baltic region, neighbouring Finland again postponed the startup of a new nuclear reactor.