Why Swedish Nuclear Power Plants Are Less Affected by European Heatwaves
This summer, persistent high temperatures across much of Europe forced some nuclear power plants to reduce output or even temporarily shut down due to rising cooling water temperatures and falling river levels. In comparison, Sweden's Vattenfall-operated nuclear plants at Forsmark and Ringhals were less affected, mainly because both facilities are located in coastal areas and use seawater for cooling. Many nuclear plants in continental Europe rely on river water as their cooling source. During heatwaves, river levels and water temperatures can change rapidly, easily impacting cooling efficiency. Anna Collin, Communications Officer at Ringhals, stated that Swedish nuclear plants use seawater cooling, which differs in operating conditions from many...
2026-08-26
