Swedish-German partnership to build lead-cooled nuclear reactors

Blykalla, a Swedish company known for its expertise in the production of Small Modular Reactors (SMR), has signed an agreement with Germany’s Uniper SA to develop a new Advanced Modular Reactor (AMR) technology. The partnership will focus on developing a “first of its kind” lead-cooled SMR. This type of reactor, which uses lead as the main cooling material, has already been used in Russian nuclear submarines, but Blykalla aims to build them for safe and responsible use. The two companies will be joined by Sweden’s Modular Reactors AB, which is already building a test reactor to ensure its operability and safety before proceeding, as the technology it tests will be the testing ground for further improvements. According to Bloomberg, Blykalla’s main concern at the moment is to assess the safety of the test reactors, as this is the first step towards making the SMR operational, which is planned for 2030. This type of reactor is being studied and developed for various applications in many countries, especially the US and China. However, with this project, Blykalla wants to ensure a Swedish and European presence in the nuclear sector.