- Swedish reactor developer Blykalla has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Hitachi Energy to co‑design electrical infrastructure and digital tools for deploying Blykalla’s lead‑cooled small modular reactors (SMRs).
- The partners will initially target data centres and energy‑intensive industries, designing grid connections and on‑site electrical systems to support continuous, high‑quality power.
- Blykalla has applied to build a six‑reactor park near Norrsundet, Gävle, each reactor providing 55 MW of electricity. The reactors use an updated version of lead‑cooling technology derived from Soviet submarine reactors.
Amid surging electricity demand from data centres and heavy industry, Swedish reactor developer Blykalla has partnered with Hitachi Energy to bring its innovative lead‑cooled small modular reactors to market.
The collaboration will see the two companies co‑design grid connections, on‑site electrical systems and digital control tools, with an eye on customers requiring constant, carbon‑free power.
Blykalla’s technology – dubbed the SEALER (Swedish Advanced Lead Reactor) – promises compact reactors that are passively safe and can be factory‑produced.
According to the MoU, Hitachi Energy will bring its expertise in electrification and grid integration to optimise the connection of Blykalla’s reactors to national grids and industrial networks. The partners will develop conceptual designs for transmission‑level connections, on‑site electrical architecture and digital tools for construction, operation and maintenance.
Hitachi’s involvement enables Blykalla to package its reactor technology with a complete electrical solution, which is particularly appealing for data centres that require high reliability and rapid deployment.
The companies said they will prioritise clients with the “highest, most constant power demands,” such as data centre operators and energy‑intensive manufacturers. With AI workloads and electrified industrial processes driving massive increases in electricity consumption, dispatchable low‑carbon power sources are increasingly valuable.
By coupling reactors with battery storage and microgrid controls, the partnership aims to offer near‑autonomous power solutions.
Lead cool
Blykalla, formerly known as LeadCold, is a spin‑off from the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm. It is developing the SEALER‑55 reactor, a 55 MWe unit using molten lead as a coolant.
Lead has a boiling point above 1,700°C and provides natural radiation shielding, allowing for a compact core and passive safety; the reactor can shut itself down without external power or operator intervention.
The company has submitted an application to build Sweden’s first advanced reactor park in Norrsundet, Gävle, comprising six SEALER reactors with a combined capacity of 330 MWe.
It has also applied to a government scheme that offers cheap loans and price guarantees to nuclear developers. If approved, the reactors could be online by the early 2030s, delivering flexible baseload power to regional grids and industrial customers.
Lead‑cooled reactors belong to Generation IV concepts that promise high safety, efficiency and scalability. They are less mature than light‑water SMRs but offer unique advantages: high coolant boiling point, passive safety, and the ability to operate at high temperatures, enabling industrial heat and hydrogen production.
By partnering with Hitachi Energy, Blykalla taps into global engineering expertise and supply chains, potentially accelerating commercial deployment.
Extra mile
The choice to target data centres and heavy industry reflects market realities. AI‑driven digital infrastructure is projected to consume tens of gigawatts of new electricity by the end of this decade. Traditional grids cannot easily supply such demand without fossil fuels or grid upgrades.
A small reactor park co‑located with a data centre can provide steady power with minimal land footprint and limited cooling water requirements, differentiating it from conventional nuclear plants.
The Blykalla-Hitachi partnership demonstrates how pairing reactor developers with grid‑integration specialists can create bankable projects. UK utilities and data‑centre operators watching Rolls‑Royce SMR and other domestic initiatives may see Blykalla as a competitor or partner, especially if Swedish regulators approve the Norrsundet project and financing terms are attractive.
However, significant hurdles remain. Lead‑cooled technology must undergo rigorous testing and licensing. Public acceptance of new nuclear technologies varies widely across Europe. Financing such projects requires long‑term price guarantees and government backing, as Blykalla’s application to the Swedish support scheme illustrates.
Still, the partnership underscores a growing consensus that to power an electrified, AI‑driven economy, advanced nuclear must be part of the mix.
