Vattenfall and Industrikraft-backed nuclear company Videberg Kraft have chosen Rolls-Royce SMR as the preferred supplier for a new nuclear project in Sweden after a four-year review of more than 70 options.

The plan would mark Sweden’s first new nuclear build in more than 40 years and add a major source of fossil-free power for the south of the country.

The project calls for three reactors, each with an output of 470MW, capable of generating around 12TW-hours (TWh) of electricity a year. Vattenfall says the design relies on pressurised water reactor technology, the same type used at Ringhals, and that the modular build approach should reduce the risk of delays by shifting more assembly into controlled industrial settings.

Vattenfall’s president and chief executive, Anna Borg, who sits on the Videberg Kraft board, said the project is an important part of Sweden’s energy system and industrial transition. Vattenfall’s acting head of new nuclear, Martin Darelius, said the selection process was thorough and independently reviewed, and that the company will continue to support the project.

Sweden is moving towards new nuclear capacity after decades without new reactor construction. For industry, the case being made is not just about electricity volumes, but long-term supply, competitiveness and a firmer foundation for electrification.