Denmark is exploring the possibility of building small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) as part of its future energy strategy, the country’s Climate and Energy Ministry announced on Thursday, January 22. This move would mark the end of the nation’s 1985 ban on nuclear power.
A framework has been established to investigate the “potentials and risks” of new nuclear technologies, including regulatory requirements, safety, radioactive waste handling, costs, and necessary competencies. The ministry said no political decision has been made yet, with Climate, Energy and Utilities Minister Lars Aagaard declaring
Green energy from solar and wind is now and will continue to be the backbone of the Danish energy supply, but we can also see that it cannot stand alone…. We must be open to examining whether other technologies can provide us with green energy in the future. Small modular nuclear reactors may be an option.
SMRs are advanced nuclear reactors with a power capacity of up to 300 megawatts per unit, roughly a third of a traditional nuclear power reactor. Their simpler construction process makes them more affordable and potentially faster to deploy than large-scale reactors.
The Danish parliament, which voted to ban nuclear energy in 1985, approved in early 2025 a review of new nuclear technologies as a potential component of the country’s energy mix.
Currently, wind power generates 58% of Denmark’s electricity, followed by biofuels at 18%, solar at 11%, and waste and coal at 5% each, according to 2024 figures from the International Energy Agency.
_(20848048201).jpg){kind=link}