Norwegian power company Norsk Kjernekraft wants to build small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) where power is needed. This would ensure reliable electricity for energy intensive industries such as data centers, while simultaneously help ease pressure on the Norwegian grid.
Norsk Kjernekraft, which was founded in 2022, wants to build SMRs off-grid, in connection with industries that need reliable power. The waste heat generated by the SMRs can also be harnessed for manufacturing processes and district heating systems. It would help Norway reach its zero emissions target while at the same time have economic growth in the decades to come.
At the moment there are no nuclear reactors in Norway. 'Small modular reactors can be built where power is needed. Because nuclear power, like hydropower, lasts for 100 years (with two upgrades after 60 and 80 years, respectively), it gives the opportunity to replicate what hydropower has done for Norway. After the power plants are paid off, they supply cheap electricity for another 70-80 years – as hydropower has done', Norsk Kjernekraft claims.
Heat reuse
Because nuclear power produces a lot of heat, high-temperature steam can be used for heat-intensive industry – for example the production of steel and aluminium. It can also but used for carbon capture, as well as the production of hydrogen, ammonia and e-fuels. The residual heat can be used for remote heating.
The advent of power-intensive AI makes SMRs a must, according to Norsk Kjernekraft, in order for Norway to remain attractive for data center operators. Norway’s grid now runs entirely on renewable energy sources: mainly hydro power (88 percent of the country’s supply) and some wind energy. The company says that 'Sweden and Finland have a clear advantage in that they have decided to develop more nuclear power. Because nuclear power requires very little land, they can increase their power production and thus ensure continuous economic growth. They therefore gain a competitive advantage.'
