Energy Minister Ebba Busch (KD) fears prices for new nuclear power will rise without a broad cross-block energy agreement. In SVT's "30 Minutes," she criticizes the Moderates and Sweden Democrats for sabotaging the talks last autumn, calling it short-sighted and petty. Finance Minister Niklas Wykman (M) rejects the criticism, pointing to disagreements on the left side.
In an interview on SVT's "30 Minutes," Ebba Busch, KD leader and energy and industry minister, expresses concern that the lack of a broad energy agreement will drive up costs for new nuclear power. "I believe the price tag is affected by whether there is a handshake across the bloc," she says. The talks for an agreement broke down last autumn after the Moderates and Sweden Democrats refused support, which Busch calls "short-sighted" and "petty." She regrets the outcome and admits it was a personal failure: "Yes, one can concede that."
Busch emphasizes the importance of stability for business investments. "If one wants to secure the big money... it would have been great if we had shaken hands fully last autumn," she says. Despite the failure, she highlights the government's progress: over 7,000 megawatts of new installed capacity and 2,000 megawatts increased output, equivalent to nearly two nuclear reactors.
Finance Minister Niklas Wykman (M) responds with surprise to Busch's statements. "Her comments are hard to understand," he says, noting that the Social Democrats now support nuclear power in the budget, aligning with the government. He rejects the claim that M and SD caused the collapse and instead criticizes the Greens' veto on new nuclear power. According to Wykman, business, including Vattenfall and base industry firms, has confirmed that unity has been achieved, which should lower costs rather than raise them.
The conflict highlights tensions within the center-right government ahead of energy policy challenges, where long-term stability is demanded by industry.
