As Sweden ramps up its investment in nuclear power, the Swedish Energy Agency has awarded 37 million SEK to Blykalla and five research partners through the newly launched project Bränsletillverkning och Avancerade Material för Svensk Energiproduktion (BAMSE). This marks the first major grant under the government’s expanded public funding for nuclear, announced in the 2025 budget. In total, 600 million SEK is planned over four years to support innovative projects that bring advanced reactor technologies closer to commercial deployment.
The project is structured as a focused 12-month effort to address key technical challenges in the development of lead-cooled Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). The work will span three core areas: the industrialization of corrosion-resistant materials, including alumina-forming steels produced through additive manufacturing and advanced coating techniques; commercialization of specialized fuels for optimal performance in LFRs; and the evaluation and testing of instrumentation and control systems.
With a total project budget of over 37 million SEK, the project brings together Blykalla, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Luleå University of Technology, University West, RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, and SWERIM. The consortium aims to strengthen Sweden’s position in next-generation nuclear technologies and establish a foundation for industrial deployment.
The project will focus on both structural and fuel-related materials, including Blykalla’s proprietary corrosion-tolerant alloys and commercial FeCrAl variants for use in lead-cooled environments. Manufacturing techniques such as powder metallurgy, hot isostatic pressing (HIP), high-velocity air fuel (HVAF) spraying, and plasma spraying will be evaluated. In parallel, the consortium will develop protective coatings, standardized testing methods, and qualification processes for future licensing and production.
“This type of targeted funding is exactly what’s needed to move from R&D to industrial delivery,” says Jacob Stedman, CEO of Blykalla. “We’re proud to lead this effort with Sweden’s top research institutions and take a real step toward commercializing next-generation nuclear.”
The project represents a national collaboration between academic and industrial partners to advance Sweden’s readiness for advanced nuclear energy. The results will be key to qualifying materials for Blykalla’s SEALER technology and building the domestic supply chains needed for European SMR deployment.
