Sweden ditches ban on uranium mining and returns to path of nuclear energy

Sweden's Climate and Environment Minister Romina Pourmokhtari has announced she plans to roll back a nationwide ban on uranium mining that prevented the development of nuclear power.

Extracting uranium has been banned in Sweden since 2018; however, Pourmokhtari explained that the country has a new energy objective that requires lifting the ban and said that the parliamentary majority agrees.

The minister reported that while wind and solar power are important, the nation needs a stable energy supply that meets the increased demand for carbon-neutral electricity.

"The government is aiming at doubling electricity production in 20 years," she told The Times, noting that they will seek to build at least ten large reactors to achieve this goal.

Although Pourmokhtari acknowledged that nuclear power also leaves an environmental footprint, she explained that the impact and resources required are lower than most energy sources.

It should be noted that nuclear reactors currently provide approximately 30% of the country's electricity, hydropower supplies about 45% of the energy and the rest is handled by wind energy.

However, this deregulation of mining could represent a historic change for Sweden, especially now that Russia dominates uranium processing, as it could represent an excellent opportunity to reduce commercial dependence on Moscow.

Sweden currently holds 80% of the European Union's uranium deposits.