Ågesta Nuclear Power Plant
Encyclopedia
The nuclear power
station Ågesta (ASEA
) was the first Swedish commercial nuclear power plant. Construction started in 1957 and ended in 1962, operations began in 1964 and continued until 1974. The station primarily provided district heating
for the Stockholm
suburb Farsta
, as well as a small amount of electricity (12 MWe and 68 MW thermal). It is widely assumed that the underground reactors had military purposes, being able to produce plutonium.
The companies Stockholms Elverk and Statens Vattenfallsverk
were responsible for the building of the Ågesta plant. Before it was finished, another larger reactor, the R4 nuclear reactor
was built at Marviken. The R4 reactor was intended for both electricity and plutonium production but it was cancelled in 1970.
The Ågesta reactor, with 10 MW, was much smaller than the later Swedish reactor types. The reactor was part of a project called "the Swedish line" (Svenska Linjen), an international initiative to use natural uranium
(not enriched) for fuel in commercial power plants. The shutdown of the plant was mostly a result of low oil prices and poor economics.
built in Sweden. Heavy water moderated and fueled with natural uranium, the project was started in 1957, and the underground reactor was used for heating a suburb of Stockholm
from 1964 to 1974, plus some power generation. It produced 105MWt, and 10MWe.
Nuclear power
Nuclear power is the use of sustained nuclear fission to generate heat and electricity. Nuclear power plants provide about 6% of the world's energy and 13–14% of the world's electricity, with the U.S., France, and Japan together accounting for about 50% of nuclear generated electricity...
station Ågesta (ASEA
ASEA
Allmänna Svenska Elektriska Aktiebolaget was a Swedish industry company. It merged with the Swiss Brown, Boveri & Cie in 1988 to form Asea Brown Boveri...
) was the first Swedish commercial nuclear power plant. Construction started in 1957 and ended in 1962, operations began in 1964 and continued until 1974. The station primarily provided district heating
District heating
District heating is a system for distributing heat generated in a centralized location for residential and commercial heating requirements such as space heating and water heating...
for the Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
suburb Farsta
Farsta
Farsta is a district in a borough with the same name in southern Stockholm, see Farsta . It is also a metro station on the Green line . The distance between central Stockholm and Farsta is 8 kilometers.-Sports:...
, as well as a small amount of electricity (12 MWe and 68 MW thermal). It is widely assumed that the underground reactors had military purposes, being able to produce plutonium.
The companies Stockholms Elverk and Statens Vattenfallsverk
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...
were responsible for the building of the Ågesta plant. Before it was finished, another larger reactor, the R4 nuclear reactor
R4 nuclear reactor
R4 nuclear reactor was a nuclear reactor built at Marviken and the fourth nuclear reactor built in Sweden. It was heavy water moderated and intended for the dual role of 130MWe of power generation and also plutonium production. It had a central role in the Swedish nuclear weapon program...
was built at Marviken. The R4 reactor was intended for both electricity and plutonium production but it was cancelled in 1970.
The Ågesta reactor, with 10 MW, was much smaller than the later Swedish reactor types. The reactor was part of a project called "the Swedish line" (Svenska Linjen), an international initiative to use natural uranium
Uranium
Uranium is a silvery-white metallic chemical element in the actinide series of the periodic table, with atomic number 92. It is assigned the chemical symbol U. A uranium atom has 92 protons and 92 electrons, of which 6 are valence electrons...
(not enriched) for fuel in commercial power plants. The shutdown of the plant was mostly a result of low oil prices and poor economics.
Ågestaverket
Ågestaverket, also known as R3, was the third nuclear reactorNuclear reactor
A nuclear reactor is a device to initiate and control a sustained nuclear chain reaction. Most commonly they are used for generating electricity and for the propulsion of ships. Usually heat from nuclear fission is passed to a working fluid , which runs through turbines that power either ship's...
built in Sweden. Heavy water moderated and fueled with natural uranium, the project was started in 1957, and the underground reactor was used for heating a suburb of Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
from 1964 to 1974, plus some power generation. It produced 105MWt, and 10MWe.