Riksenergi

In the 1960s, the Swedish government decided that it would construct a large-scale particle accelerator on the Mälaren Islands close to Stockholm. The location was chosen because of the proximity to the capital, but also because the bedrock here was considered suitable for constructing an underground facility of this magnitude. To oversee this huge project, the state agency Riksenergi was created, and immediately granted plentiful funds. Considered by some a sister organization to Televerket, the state-owned telephone and communications operator, in reality Riksenergi has next to nothing to do with its more mundane sibling. Under the first director, Sten Ankarsjö, the agency started recruiting top scientists from around the country. Attracted by the proposition of working on the world’s largest accelerator and by the rewarding relocation package, hundreds of scientists took the offer and committed to working on the project for years to come. Riksenergi is by far the largest employer on the Mälaren Islands, and as such, is generally viewed favorably by the population. Some consider the agency as “theirs” and are very protective about its activities, even when bad rumors sometimes circulate. Even though security around the vital installations (especially the installations below ground) is tight, movement on the islands is relatively unrestricted. This “open door” policy has been questioned by some as naive, and there are persistent rumors of foreign-sounding strangers camping around the island, claiming to be birdwatchers but with their binoculars firmly trained on the scientific installations.

Structure

First director, Sten Ankarsjö. Recruited top scientists from around the country, but also (strictly vetted) scientist from as far afield as Japan.

Public Agenda

Running the Loop (Facility for Research in High Energy Physics) as research facility for the Swedish Government.

Assets

Running the Loops takes a lot of money, all government funded. Hence the government is always keen to explore the use of experimental technologies. The Bona reactor is a huge asset.