Barsebäck nuclear power plant
Encyclopedia
Barsebäck is a closed boiling water
nuclear power plant
in Sweden
, which is situated in Barsebäck
, Kävlinge Municipality
, Skåne. Located just 20 kilometers from the Danish capital, Copenhagen
, the Danish
government pressed for its closure during its entire lifetime. As a result of the Swedish nuclear power phase-out
, its two reactors have now been closed. The first reactor, Barsebäck 1, was closed November 30, 1999, and the second, Barsebäck 2, ceased operations May 31, 2005.
Land for the plant was bought in 1965 by the energy company Sydkraft
, and the first of the two BWR reactors was ordered from Asea-Atom in 1969. Unit one first attained criticality on January 18, 1975 and commercial operation began on May 15. The second reactor attained criticality on March 21, 1977 and commercial operation began on June 12. Following a decision in the Parliament
in 1997, the Government of Sweden
decided that the first reactor was to close July 1, 1998, and the second July 1, 2001. Due to the operator's appeal of the decision, the closure was postponed. The destruction of the facility will await the construction of a storage facility, scheduled to be ready by 2020.
At the time of closure, each reactor had a capacity of 600 megawatts. The plant was operated by Barsebäck Kraft AB, a subsidiary of Ringhals AB, owned by Vattenfall
and Sydkraft
.
Boiling water reactor
The boiling water reactor is a type of light water nuclear reactor used for the generation of electrical power. It is the second most common type of electricity-generating nuclear reactor after the pressurized water reactor , also a type of light water nuclear reactor...
nuclear power plant
Nuclear power plant
A nuclear power plant is a thermal power station in which the heat source is one or more nuclear reactors. As in a conventional thermal power station the heat is used to generate steam which drives a steam turbine connected to a generator which produces electricity.Nuclear power plants are usually...
in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, which is situated in Barsebäck
Barsebäck
Barsebäck is a locality situated in Kävlinge Municipality, Skåne County, Sweden with 509 inhabitants in 2005.It lies about 4 km east of the harbour village Barsebäckshamn. It is known for the Barsebäck nuclear power plant, and for the internationally known golf course Barsebäck Golf & Country Club...
, Kävlinge Municipality
Kävlinge Municipality
Kävlinge Municipality is a municipality in Skåne County in southern Sweden. Its seat is located in the town of Kävlinge.-Localities:...
, Skåne. Located just 20 kilometers from the Danish capital, Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, the Danish
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
government pressed for its closure during its entire lifetime. As a result of the Swedish nuclear power phase-out
Nuclear power phase-out
A nuclear power phase-out is the discontinuation of usage of nuclear power for energy production. Often initiated because of concerns about nuclear power, phase-outs usually include shutting down nuclear power plants and looking towards renewable energy and other fuels.Austria was the first country...
, its two reactors have now been closed. The first reactor, Barsebäck 1, was closed November 30, 1999, and the second, Barsebäck 2, ceased operations May 31, 2005.
Land for the plant was bought in 1965 by the energy company Sydkraft
Sydkraft
E.ON Sverige AB, formerly known as Sydkraft, is Sweden's second largest utility company with an annual turnover of 42.9 billion Swedish Krona . The net profit for the 2008 fiscal year amounted to SEK 14.88 billion...
, and the first of the two BWR reactors was ordered from Asea-Atom in 1969. Unit one first attained criticality on January 18, 1975 and commercial operation began on May 15. The second reactor attained criticality on March 21, 1977 and commercial operation began on June 12. Following a decision in the Parliament
Parliament of Sweden
The Riksdag is the national legislative assembly of Sweden. The riksdag is a unicameral assembly with 349 members , who are elected on a proportional basis to serve fixed terms of four years...
in 1997, the Government of Sweden
Government of Sweden
The Government of the Kingdom of Sweden is the supreme executive authority of Sweden. It consists of the Prime Minister and cabinet ministers appointed by the Prime Minister. The Government is responsible for their actions to the Riksdag, which is the legislative assembly...
decided that the first reactor was to close July 1, 1998, and the second July 1, 2001. Due to the operator's appeal of the decision, the closure was postponed. The destruction of the facility will await the construction of a storage facility, scheduled to be ready by 2020.
At the time of closure, each reactor had a capacity of 600 megawatts. The plant was operated by Barsebäck Kraft AB, a subsidiary of Ringhals AB, owned by Vattenfall
Vattenfall
Vattenfall is a Swedish power company. The name Vattenfall is Swedish for waterfall, and is an abbreviation of its original name, Royal Waterfall Board...
and Sydkraft
Sydkraft
E.ON Sverige AB, formerly known as Sydkraft, is Sweden's second largest utility company with an annual turnover of 42.9 billion Swedish Krona . The net profit for the 2008 fiscal year amounted to SEK 14.88 billion...
.