NIB finances world’s largest underground wastewater facility

Henriksdal water treatment plant. Photo: Kari Kohvakka

NIB has signed a ten-year loan with the City of Stockholm, Sweden, to construct the world’s largest underground wastewater treatment facility.

Stockholm is one of the fastest-growing regions in Europe and benefits from a strong economy and a rapidly growing population. The city estimates that annual population growth of around 2.5% could result in a sewer capacity need for a population equivalent to 1.6 million people by 2040.

The SEK 3 billion (EUR 323 million) loan will help the city in its plans to double the capacity at the Henriksdal wastewater treatment facility to more than 500,000 cubic metres per day. It will then close another facility at Bromma and lead the wastewater via a new 15-kilometre underground tunnel to Henriksdal.

Henriksdal will become the largest membrane bioreactor (MBR) technology facility in the world. The MBR technology is expected to significantly reduce discharges of phosphorous and nitrogen into the Baltic Sea. Improving the sewer network will also lessen overflows of untreated wastewater discharged in Lake Mälaren.

“This investment will help the Stockholm to continue its growth while reducing discharges into the Baltic Sea”, says Henrik Normann, NIB President & CEO.

Stockholm is the capital of Sweden and the most populous city in the Nordic–Baltic region, with 923,516 residents at year-end 2015.

NIB is an international financial institution owned by eight member countries: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden. The Bank finances private and public projects in and outside the member countries. NIB has the highest possible credit rating, AAA/Aaa, with the leading rating agencies Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s.

For further information, please contact
Mr Patrik Marckert, Senior Manager Origination, at +358 10 618 0266,

Mr Arild Moen, Senior Communications Officer, at +358 10 618 0496,