Sweden is preparing for the spread of war on Europe's territory and is investing in energy. The government allocated $510 million for civil defence.
Energy is a priority for Sweden
A power plant in Malmö that was slated to be dismantled will be restored to power Sweden's third-largest city in the event of an attack on the national power grid.
Thousands of kilometers of power lines running through dense forests make the network vulnerable. Sweden is preparing for possible power outages.
The country also depends on energy imports, so diversifying supplies is a key challenge.
What measures is Sweden taking:
Strengthening the army, which was reduced after the Cold War.
Upgrade ports, roads, rail networks, hospitals and shelters.
Increasing preparedness for cyber attacks and hybrid warfare.
Sweden, a member of NATO since 2022, however, feels threatened by Russia after the annexation of Crimea in 2014.
The war in Ukraine demonstrated how Russia can purposefully attack energy infrastructure.
Sweden seeks to minimise its dependence on Russia and other potentially hostile states
Hopefully we won't find ourselves in a situation where we use these opportunities, said Mikael Nilsson, head of the Malmö power plant. But having the confidence that we are there and ready when needed is really comforting.
Sweden is taking preventive measures rather than waiting for an immediate attack. The country seeks to be ready for any possible scenarios related to the escalation of the war in Europe.
By the end of 2028, about 1,000 qualified specialists will undergo special training to protect the country's power grids. This will be done as part of a renewed "civilian duty" program suspended after the Cold War but reintroduced this year.
The Swedish government has significantly increased funding for civil defence in response to the war in Ukraine. In the budget for 2024, about 5.5 billion crowns ($510 million) were allocated for these purposes, which is almost three times more than in 2021.
