Sweden may lend $23.5 billion for new nuclear reactors, government says

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - The Swedish government is seeking parliament's permission to lend up to 220 billion crowns ($23.5 billion) to energy companies willing to build new nuclear reactors, Financial Markets Minister Niklas Wykman said on Friday.

The country in recent years closed several older reactors and the right-wing government now seeks to revive its nuclear energy industry and build its first new plants in over 40 years to boost the output of fossil-free electricity.

The plan presented on Friday would help fund a capacity of 2,500 MW of nuclear power, the first half of Sweden's aim of building a series of small modular nuclear reactors, in the coming decades.

"It's not a price tag... it is a loan framework that is needed to be able to conduct sharp negotiations," Wykman told a press conference .

Costs could rise further, however, with another 220 billion to be set aside as a reserve in case of unforeseen costs, Wykman said.

($1 = 9.3668 Swedish crowns)

(Reporting by Anna Ringstrom, editing by Terje Solsvik)