Vattenfall AB, the Nordic region’s biggest utility, applied to Swedish safety regulators to build one or two nuclear reactors to replace its older plants.
“There has been no investment decision,” Chief Financial Officer Ingrid Bonde said today. “It’s a very long process.”
Sweden in 2010 agreed to keep a total of 10 reactors in the country while allowing older plants to be replaced. The Swedish Radiation Safety Authority said it may take 10-15 years from the receipt of a request for a new reactor to start up. Replacements may be needed after 2025, according to Vattenfall’s application.
The authority will draw up regulations for the new reactors by the end of 2014 at the earliest, according to the agency.