Italy Opens Way for Return to Nuclear Power

Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for IIR News Intelligence (Sugar Land, Texas)

Summary

Italy's Senate approved a law that opens the way for the country to return to nuclear power, 36 years after the closure of its last reactors.

Italy's pro-nuclear government has overcome the final hurdle to bringing nuclear power back to the country after a gap of almost 40 years. 

The Senate has passed a law, 81 votes to 51, that gives the government 12 months to issue decrees on licensing, safety, spent fuel, radioactive waste and site selection, followed by another two years to make any corrections. No technology has been specified but it will include small modular reactors (SMRs), microreactors and fusion. The national energy and climate plan calls for between 8 gigawatts (GW) and 16 GW of nuclear capacity to be operational by 2050, which would be enough to supply 11-22% of total electricity demand. According to Industrial Info Resources data, there are66 SMR projects in Europe worth almost US$200 billion in investment. 

Historic Day

Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, minister of the environment and energy security, referred to the outcome as a historic day for Italy. "Today, Italy is taking a step toward the future: the approval of the government's mandate for new, sustainable nuclear power completes a process begun three years ago, aimed at exploring the potential of this new, clean, and sustainable technology," Fratin said. "Nuclear power is not a return to the past: it is a winning technology, which, when integrated with renewables, can deliver extraordinary results for our energy security, toward neutrality by 2050." Fratin said he believes that the first reactor could be running by 2033 or 2034.

Prime Minister's Take

"Today the Parliament has definitively approved the law on nuclear energy," wrote Prime Minister Georgia Meloni. "After almost forty years, Italy once again has a framework of rules to produce nuclear energy. A brave and common-sense choice. Today we import electricity produced by nuclear plants from neighboring countries, but we cannot produce it ourselves. This law serves to change things. What does it mean for families and companies? More energy security, less dependence on foreign sources, and less exposure to international crises that we have paid for in our bills. Stable and low-emission energy, which works alongside all the others, starting with renewables. And a concrete response to the demand for electricity that will grow with data centers and artificial intelligence."

Italy's Nuclear Exit

Following the Chernobyl nuclear incident in 1986, Italy banned nuclear power and called for the closure of existing facilities, driven by safety concerns. A referendum called in 1987 saw a public rejection of nuclear power, which was followed by a moratorium on new construction and a halt to existing projects. At the time, it had four operating reactors at Latina, Garigliano, Trino and Caorso. All of the plants were closed by 1990. A previous government tried to revive nuclear power in 2008, but following the Fukushima Daiichi disaster in Japan, a 2011 public referendum overwhelmingly voted against it. Italy was the only country to directly shut down nuclear power plants as a result of the Chernobyl incident but it served to create a widespread anti-nuclear lobby across Europe that hindered the rollout of more nuclear projects in many countries for decades to come. 

New Nuclear Interest

This summer, Edison, together with EDF, Nuward and operators in the Italian nuclear industry and supply chain, signed a declaration of intent (DOI) for the joint development of a third-generation European nuclear power plant based on Nuward's SMR technology. The aim is to have the first plants operational in 2035. Ansaldo Nucleare, Italy's main civil nuclear engineering company, has been working with Nuward in recent years. The Nuward SMR offering has undergone significant design changes based on customer feedback and in July 2024, EDF decided to drop its design in favor of proven pressurized water reactor (PWR) technology. It will have a capacity of 400 megawatts (MW), with an option for cogeneration of up to about 100 MW. EDF and partners are estimating a fleet of 10 units across France, Italy, Poland, Belgium and Finland, to start. IIR Energy is tracking the first proposed project at Le Havre in France. 

Key Takeaways

• New law approved in Italy opens the way for the country to return to nuclear power, 36 years after the closure of its last reactors.
• Industrial Info Resources is tracking 66 SMR projects in Europe, worth almost US$200 billion in investment. 
• The country's national energy and climate plan calls for between eight and 16 GW of nuclear capacity to be operational by 2050.

About Industrial Info Resources
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, Industrial Info Resources is tracking over 250,000 current and future projects worth $30.2 Trillion (USD).