Energy Deficit in Southern Sweden
Like its neighbor Finland, Sweden is facing significant challenges regarding electricity generation at its aging nuclear power plants. The shutdown of reactors for urgent repairs ahead of the winter season has sent electricity prices soaring, hindering the country’s economic development.
Two of the four reactors still in operation at Sweden’s largest nuclear power plant, Ringhals, are currently undergoing repairs that have been ongoing since this spring.
In a typical year, two of the plant’s reactors generate approximately 17–20 TWh of electricity (covering about 20% of Sweden’s energy needs).
The operation of Ringhals 3—a pressurized water reactor (PWR) commissioned in 1981 with a capacity of approximately 1,081–1,107 MW—was originally scheduled to end in 2021.
Following upgrades and analyses, the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority has approved its operation for at least 60 years, meaning electricity generation will continue until 2040.
The owners (led by Vattenfall) have made a strategic decision to explore extending its operational lifespan by another 20 years, aiming for a total service life of 80 years—extending operations into the 2060s (though issues such as radiation-induced damage and the integrity of weld joints are currently under investigation).
The same applies to Ringhals 4 (also a PWR), which was commissioned in 1983 and has a capacity of approximately 1,130–1,134 MW.
Frequent unscheduled shutdowns of both operational reactors at a nuclear power plant—located relatively close to Stockholm, Oslo, and Copenhagen—cast doubt on the operator’s assertion that these units can continue to generate electricity for another 35 years without suffering major failures. Such breakdowns could pose a radiation risk not only to Sweden itself but also to its immediate neighbors.
As a nation lacking its own oil and gas reserves, Sweden has spent far too long flirting with “green fanaticism,” pinning its hopes on intermittent energy sources—such as solar and wind power—while neglecting the construction of new nuclear power plants.
The government’s relatively recent decision to pursue a series of small modular reactors (SMRs) comes too late; furthermore, none of these designs have yet been approved by national regulators, Euratom, or the IAEA.
At best, these new reactors will not begin supplying power until the mid-2030s, meaning it will be at least another decade before the energy deficit can be addressed.
Recognizing this, the Swedish government is making a dangerous gamble by extending the operational lifespan of aging, unreliable nuclear units. These reactors have become so prone to frequent, intermittent outages that their performance now rivals that of solar and wind installations—a situation that is fueling a severe energy shortage in southern Sweden, the capital region, and the country’s southwest.
323 Days of Downtime at Ringhals
The two remaining reactors at the Ringhals nuclear power plant in Varberg have been out of service for 190 and 133 days, respectively, so far this year. Meanwhile, electricity prices are soaring.
2026 has been a poor year for electricity production at the Ringhals nuclear power plant.
During the crisis winter of 2022/23, one reactor was shut down for 222 days; however, the total duration of outages this year has been even longer.
The reactors have been out of operation for periods ranging from four to six months. In total, there have been outages amounting to 323 days so far in 2026.
When the Ringhals Nuclear Power Plant Is Set to Be Back Online
The latest forecast indicates that the reactors will restart on November 20 and November 27, respectively.
“Our goal and focus is to produce electricity safely and reliably, but unforeseen events sometimes occur, forcing us—regrettably—to extend our production outages. Safety always comes first,” writes Anna Wallrund, acting press officer at the Ringhals nuclear power plant, in a statement to SVT Nyheter Halland.
Additionally, one reactor at the Forsmark nuclear power plant is currently out of service.
A planned maintenance outage for Ringhals 3 in the spring of 2026 is being extended by four months due to degraded rubber debris found in the cooling system. Ringhals 4 is also being shut down for the removal of this rubber material, alongside a scheduled overhaul.
Lessebo Paper Forced to Pause Production Due to Electricity Prices
High electricity prices are having consequences for Swedish industry. At Lessebo Paper, electricity costs have risen to such a level that the company has been forced to pause production—so far for a total of six days. Last Monday, the electricity cost for a single day of production reached 390,000 kronor.
The paper mill is now criticizing the disparities in electricity prices between northern and southern Sweden. The company feels that the conditions for conducting energy-intensive operations in southern Sweden are becoming increasingly difficult.
“The government and politicians must take decisive action now,” says Jens Olson, CEO of Lessebo Paper.
For a paper mill, where production requires vast amounts of energy, the price of electricity can be the deciding factor in whether it is even profitable to keep the machinery running.
How long production remains at a standstill will depend on how electricity prices evolve. The company currently employs 83 people, and in 2025, its turnover was just over 333 million kronor.
Confederation of Swedish Enterprise: “A Worrying Situation”
Electricity price zone 4 (Malmö) includes Skåne, Blekinge, Öland, and the southern parts of Halland and Småland. This area has the largest deficit in local electricity generation relative to consumption, which often results in higher electricity prices.
According to Ulrica Bennesved, regional manager for the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise (Svenskt Näringsliv) in Kronoberg County, there have been several indications that businesses in electricity price zone 4 are currently under pressure due to electricity costs.
“Our overall assessment is that this is an extremely serious and worrying situation.” “We calculate on an hourly basis whether it is worth producing or if it is better to remain idle,” she says, adding:
“The current energy situation in Sweden is a direct hindrance to growth. Looking ahead, we must not only resolve the immediate crisis but, above all, ensure an increase in electricity production in bidding zones three and four.”
Source:
- SVT Nyheter Halland (in Swedish)
- SVT Nyheter Småland (in Swedish)
