After the meltdowns in Japan’s Fukushima in 2011, Germany decided to phase out all its nuclear power. On Saturday, the last three reactors will be disconnected from the electricity grid.
Does the German phase-out mean higher electricity prices and a greater risk of disconnection in Sweden?
– Three reactors play a role in the margin, but above all the German shutdown has great significance for the electricity situation in the whole of northern Europe, says Pontus de Maré, operations manager at Svenska kraftnät.
Perhaps the most important factor is instead the availability of gas. Germany, like many other European countries that have been dependent on gas, has tried to buy large stocks, which saved the situation last winter.
Svenska kraftnät has now removed its warning that we in Sweden are at risk of disconnection of electricity, which indicates that the situation looks better for the coming winter than for the winter that has been.
More reactors in operation in Finland and France
In Sweden, Ringhals 4 once again reached full production during the Easter weekend, at the same time as the wind power is being expanded. In Finland, the nuclear power plant Oliklouto 3 is now also starting up, after many years of delays.
France is Europe’s largest producer of electricity from nuclear power, but last year many reactors were shut down due to damage and maintenance work. Now, however, it looks better and if the French nuclear power works as usual next winter, there will be significantly more electricity in Europe – electricity that even Germany can buy.
Another important factor is the availability of water. Last year was a dry year in Europe, which meant less electricity from hydropower than usual. Something that was noticed in Norway, among other things, while it was more of a normal year in Sweden.
And if you look at the electricity market’s long contracts, which give an indication of how high electricity prices are expected to be in the future, things look better than before. At the same time, Ponus de Maré on Svenska kraftnät points out that the market has been wrong in its electricity price forecasts in the past.
