Abstract
Sweden has the world's most intensive nuclear energy industry per capita. The full-scale build-up of this industry was nevertheless accompanied by an intensive public debate. A national vote (referendum) was taken in 1980, according to which nuclear energy should be gradually phased out. Many observers outside Sweden interpret this outcome as a firm public consensus on the abolition and that nuclear power is no longer a Swedish public issue.
In reality the situation is much more complex. Since the referendum, which itself had even beneficial effects on the nuclear program, there has been a dynamic evolution in the trend of public opinion, with a remarkable swing lately in favour of nuclear power. The future of nuclear energy in Sweden is open at practical level, with ever more signs in recent years indicating its survival beyond the year 2010 instead of its disappearance.
The supporting information for such a statement is provided here through a careful analysis of the related political environment and the public opinion before, during and after the referendum. The statistics of energy resources and present status of technologies are also reviewed. The conclusion is that a resumption of a nationwide debate on nuclear power can be expected well before the year 2010.
