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Steady Energy has started building a test reactor in central Helsinki, a full-scale prototype of its LDR-50 reactor for district heating, which will not use nuclear fuel. Instead, an electric resistor will generate the heat typically produced by a nuclear reaction.

The pilot project aims to demonstrate a passive safety system, allowing heat to be naturally diverted to an external water tank without needing a pump. The test reactor is expected to be completed by early 2027, with plans for the actual underground nuclear reactor to seek construction permits by 2028.