Swedish nuclear energy company Blykalla (formerly Leadcold), has selected Sweden-based construction company NCC as the construction partner for its new test facility to be built in Oskarshamn at the OKG NPP site. The facility, developed in collaboration with Uniper Sweden is intended to play a key role in advancing Blykalla’s lead-cooled SMR technology. Blykalla is entering a strategic partnership with Sweden’s Höganäs to develop specialised materials and manufacturing processes for the SMR.
Blykalla founded in 2013, is a spin-off from the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm. Its SMR prototype SEALER (Swedish Advanced Lead-cooled Reactor) design is a fast compact reactor with passive safety. Each reactor will have a 55 MWe capacity, which can be increased by installing multiple units at the same location. The reactor is designed with the smallest possible core that can achieve criticality in a fast spectrum using 19.9% enriched nitride fuel.
The test facility will be the first building constructed at a Swedish NPP site in over 40 years. NCC, a leading construction company with extensive experience in complex infrastructure projects, will be responsible for the construction of the test facility, including site preparations and necessary installations.
“This test facility is a milestone for Swedish nuclear innovation and a critical step in our journey toward deploying Europe’s first advanced SMR. We are pleased to partner with NCC, whose expertise in industrial construction will ensure a high-quality execution of this important project,” says Blykalla CEO Jacob Stedman.
“This is an exciting project where we can contribute our expertise in industrial construction, new technologies, and related areas such as power distribution, electricity generation, and transmission,” said Helena Hed, Head of Business Area NCC Green Industry Transformation. Construction will begin in February and is expected to be completed by June 2025.
The partnership with Höganäs covers three areas: industrialisation, qualification, and commercialisation. It focuses specifically on the industrial production of advanced corrosion-resistant materials needed to ensure the performance and durability of metal components in liquid lead environments.
Höganäs will leverage its expertise in advanced metal powder technologies to develop and produce corrosion-resistant alloys for cladding critical SEALER components, in particular tubular products. This will involve optimising laboratory-tested alloys for intended powder application processes, scaling them to industrial production, and meeting the stringent performance and safety standards required for liquid lead environments.
“This collaboration with Höganäs is an essential step in securing a strong and resilient value chain for SEALER technology,” said Stedman. Blykalla and Höganäs will also work together to ensure the scalability and qualification of these materials for SMR deployment. Blykalla said the collaboration highlights the importance of building a reliable supply chain for advanced reactor technologies.
“By combining our materials expertise with Blykalla’s innovative reactor technology, we are taking important steps toward making advanced SMRs a reality,” said Hans Keller, Division President Coating & Brazing Technologies at Höganäs. “Industrialising these solutions has the potential to unlock opportunities across multiple sectors, driving both sustainable growth and long-term prosperity.”
In January, Blykalla and Germany-based pump manufacturer KSB announced a partnership to develop specialised pumps for the SEALER technology.
According to the company website, the SEALER reactor is designed to maintain a maximum temperature of the lead coolant below 450°C, making corrosion of fuel cladding and structural materials a manageable phenomenon, even over a lifespan of several decades. Blykalla’s goal is for its first 140 MWt SEALER-55 commercial reactor to be ready for operation in the early 2030s.
While the website has details of the overall design, fuel and the safety features, however, it says nothing about the fast reactor technology, which is currently only operational in Russia, where the world’s first ever lead-cooled fast reactor is nearing completion. Hitherto sodium has been used as the liquid metal coolant in fast reactors.
