Sweden Lifts Uranium Mining Ban

The Swedish government is preparing to lift the ban on uranium mining in order to establish its own source of fuel for nuclear power plants, particularly in light of the dependency on Russia for the majority of supplies. Sweden's Minister for Ecology and Climate, 26-year-old Romina Pourmokhtari, asserts that a majority in the Swedish parliament supports the reversal of the uranium mining prohibition in the country, as reported by The Times.

She explains that uranium mining will contribute to supplying Swedish nuclear power plants with fuel, including reactors planned for construction, aiming to double electricity production over the next two decades. To achieve this, the Swedish governmental authorities must negotiate the revocation of the moratorium on uranium mining, which was implemented by the previous administration in 2018.

"Nuclear energy also has a lesser environmental impact and requires limited resources compared to most energy sources," noted Pourmokhtari.

Historically, Sweden has witnessed a strong anti-nuclear movement that led to the effective freezing of the country's nuclear sector since the 1980s. However, the situation has been evolving recently. According to The Times, the search for reliable sources of fuel for nuclear power plants in the EU has created a need in this direction. Sweden holds a significant advantage in uranium mining within the European Union, accounting for around 80%.

At least two foreign companies – Australian Aura Energy and Canadian District Metals – have expressed readiness to participate in uranium mining in Sweden.

In early August, the Swedish government announced its intention to lift restrictions on the number of permitted nuclear reactors in the country and to streamline the permit process for new reactors. Romina Pourmokhtari stated that at least 10 new conventional reactors should be constructed by 2045. Currently, Sweden operates six reactors. The country is actively exploring all available new energy capacities it can acquire, as demand is projected to double over the coming decades due to industrial and transportation electrification. The construction of new nuclear power plants stands as a cornerstone of the government's strategy to expand electricity production.