Italy Plans To Revive Nuclear Power Generation After 40- Years Ban

Italy is making a bold move to revive its nuclear power program, nearly 40 years after it was banned.

Energy Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin announced that the country aims to finalize a plan by the end of 2027, allowing the use of nuclear power once again.

This decision is part of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s right-wing government’s efforts to decarbonize Italy’s most polluting industries, such as steel, glass, and tile making.

The government believes that small modular reactors and advanced modular reactors can play a crucial role in achieving this goal.

Italy’s nuclear-fired power plants were prohibited following referendums in 1987 and 2011.

However, the government is now drafting rules to lift the ban, leveraging new nuclear-power technologies.

Pichetto Fratin emphasized that nuclear power will complement renewables, ensuring a balanced and sustainable energy mix.

The minister also mentioned that Italy estimates it would save 17 billion euros ($17.7 billion) on the cost of decarbonizing the economy by 2050 if nuclear power makes up at least 11% of its energy mix.

The Italian energy and climate plan (PNIEC) even suggests that nuclear power could account for up to 22% of the country’s energy mix.

Italy has retained key expertise in the nuclear sector, with state-controlled utility Enel operating nuclear power stations in Spain and energy major Eni investing in a nuclear fusion reactor project in the United States.

The country is also in talks with several companies, including U.S. energy group Westinghouse and France’s EDF, to build advanced nuclear reactors.

Source: https://energynewsafrica.com