1980 Swedish nuclear power referendum

1980 Swedish nuclear power referendum

23 March 1980 (1980-03-23)
Sweden now has six nuclear power reactors in operation. A further four reactors have been completed and two are under construction. The Riksdag has decided that a referendum on the role of nuclear power in the future energy supply shall be held on March 23, 1980. The vote applies to three different proposals.
Results
Choice Votes % Option 1 904,968 19.59% Option 2 1,869,344 40.46% Option 3 1,845,911 39.95% Valid votes 4,620,223 99.93% Invalid or blank votes 3,153 0.07% Total votes 4,623,376 100.00% Registered voters/turnout 6,321,165 73.14%
Results by county   Option 1   Option 3   Option 2

A non-binding referendum on nuclear power was held in Sweden on 23 March 1980.^[1] Three proposals were put to voters. The second option, the gradual phasing out of nuclear power, won a narrow plurality of the vote, receiving 39.1% of the ballots cast to 38.7% for option 3.^[2] Option 1 was the least popular, receiving only 18.9% of the votes.^[2]

The actual long term result of the nuclear power politics in Sweden after the referendum has been most similar to option 1 which did not change ownership of nuclear power plants. Some were fully private and other owned by the government, and this did not change much. High profits in hydroelectric generation were not excessively taxed. Although some of the nuclear power plants were decommissioned, the Swedish government decided to reverse the policy.^[3]

In March 2022, due to the global energy crisis, the Swedish government invited German energy company Uniper to build a nuclear power plant in Scania.^[4]