Vattenfall and Estonian energy startup Fermi Energia have signed a letter of intent to expand cooperation on a European small modular reactor initiative that could lead to new-build in Estonia.

The Swedish utility, which owns 10 nuclear reactors in Sweden and Germany, said the two companies plan to work towards the submission of an application for a decision-in-principle on SMR deployment by the Estonian parliament.

The collaboration will provide Vattenfall with knowhow in an area where it is building up its competence,” said Torbjörn Wahlborg, the company’s senior executive vice-president of generation. The companies will explore the maturity of SMR technology and the prospects for deployment of one or several such reactors in Estonia.