Vattenfall: “Nuclear Is Among The Keys To Supporting The Energy Transition”

Swedish company Vattenfall, ENS Corporate Member, recently published its Annual and Sustainability Report 2020.

Overviewing the last year’s activities in the nuclear sector, Vattenfall highlights remarkable progress and investments, aiming to keep the nuclear power at the core of the Swedish electricity system.

Indeed, the company stresses the importance of nuclear energy, together with wind and hydro, in the rush for decarbonization.

“As the share of intermittent renewable power sources increases, hydro and nuclear power, being the two large-scale means of dispatchable fossil-free electricity generation, are becoming increasingly important and valuable, and they will be key to supporting the energy transition“

Vattenfall is firmly committed to investing in its five remaining reactors, in order to meet and perfect the highest safety standards and to enable long and stable operation.

Last year, following the approval of the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority (SSM), systems for independent core cooling at Ringhals-3 and -4 and Forsmark-1, -2 and -3 were installed.

Moreover, preparations are ongoing to start construction of the final repository for spent nuclear fuel in Sweden, as the municipalities concerned have given their consent.

In 2020, Ringhals-1, the oldest Swedish nuclear reactor, was permanently shut down, following Ringhals-2, shut down in 2019 after more than four decades of commercial operation.

Dismantling activities are expected to start in 2022.

“After a nuclear power plant has done its last shift in the service of society, it is decommissioned in the same way it was run: safely, cost efficiently and sustainably“

In 2020, Vattenfall has also started the dismantling of the Ågesta NPP, the completion of which is expected in 2024-25.

Read the full Annual and Sustainability Report 2020 here.