Hitachi Energy Pairing Electrical Grid Expertise to Help Swedish Firm Scale Up Advanced Nuclear Reactor
Nuclear startup Blykalla is joining the global nuclear push to accelerate the deployment of its lead-cooled advanced modular reactors (AMRs).
Sweden-based Blykalla is teaming up with Hitachi Energy, which specializes in power grid and electrification technologies, to build solutions that will provide reliable baseload power in Europe and the U.S. as global energy demand increases.
According to a release, the companies signed a comprehensive Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a long-term strategic collaboration behind Blykalla’s next-gen AMR tech. Hitachi Energy will offer its expertise in electrification, grid integration and energy industry software to assist Blykalla in these efforts.
In traditional small modular reactor (SMR) designs, water is used as a coolant and to moderate the operating system under extreme pressure to keep the water from boiling, often in a light water reactor (LWR).
However, Blykalla claims its AMR, the SEALER (Swedish advanced lead reactor), utilizes liquid lead as a coolant. This allows for high operating temperatures that maximize electrical efficiency, while keeping the nuclear fuel safely cooled and stable compared to LWRs.
“We need reliable and low-carbon power solutions that can be integrated efficiently into the energy system as electricity demand continues to grow across industry and digital infrastructure,” said Tobias Hansson, country managing director of Hitachi Energy Sweden. “By combining Blykalla’s innovative reactor technology with our expertise in electrical infrastructure, we can help enable solutions that support industrial growth and the broader energy transition.”
Through lead-cooling methodology, Blykalla adds that its proprietary aluminum-alloyed steels can withstand the corrosive nature of liquid lead. This material can help enable the commercialization of lead-cooled fast reactors to operate safely at normal atmospheric pressure, reducing the risk of a high-pressure explosive blowout, according to the company.
The MoU allows both companies to jointly explore how Blykalla's reactors will connect to the grid and to the sites they’ll power—while ensuring one another’s goals still align in the global market.
“As we move toward commercialization, this collaboration strengthens our ability to deliver complete energy solutions," said Jacob Stedman, CEO of Blykalla, in a statement. "Hitachi Energy’s infrastructure expertise makes them a strong partner to help bring our technology to market, and positions us to meet the growing global demand for clean, reliable power.”
From transmission-level grid connections to on-site electrical systems and digital monitoring, Blykalla aims to standardize its design for scalable, serial deployment. In addition to conceptual designs for the connection and network integration, the partnership looks to refine the AMRs' on-site electrical architecture to meet the constant power demands of AI data centers and other energy-intensive sectors.
Blykalla notes that its reactors have built upon lead-cooled technology already successfully deployed since the 1960s by the Soviet Union in their military naval shipyards and oceans. The company reimagines these next-gen applications through patented Swedish research, partnering with Hitachi for modern power grids.
