Italy's Nuclear Renaissance: Government Plans New Energy Initiative
According to Bloomberg, the Italian government is planning to establish a new company aimed at rejuvenating nuclear energy production, a sector that was halted after a 1987 referendum. Discussions are already underway with several companies to implement this ambitious plan. Although no official confirmations have emerged from the companies involved, it is evident that there is a growing interest within the governing parties, particularly the League, to revisit the topic of nuclear energy.
Energy Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin confirmed in an interview with Corriere della Sera that the government is working on legislation to reintroduce new-generation nuclear energy in Italy. Meanwhile, during the Ambrosetti Forum—a prominent annual economic conference held over the weekend in Cernobbio, Como—Minister of Enterprises and Made in Italy Adolfo Urso declared that the initiative also includes establishing a new company supported by foreign technological partners, dedicated to producing advanced third-generation nuclear energy.
Bloomberg reports that the Italian government is already in discussions with three local companies: Ansaldo Nucleare, a division of Ansaldo Energia largely owned by Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (the state investment company); Newcleo, a newly founded Turin-based firm specializing in small next-generation reactors; and Enel, Italy’s primary energy company where the Ministry of Economy holds a significant stake.
Moreover, the Italian government is actively seeking international partners for this initiative. The renewed interest in nuclear energy across Europe is fueled by a desire to minimize fossil fuel usage—contributing to climate change—and to decrease dependency on Russian energy sources amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.
Currently, only twelve of the 27 European Union countries produce nuclear energy, with France leading the charge by operating 56 of the 100 reactors in the EU. While Spain and Belgium manage five reactors each, Bulgaria has two, and Finland has five, most of these nations are committed to tripling their nuclear energy production capacity by 2050, as outlined during COP28, the recent United Nations climate conference. This ambition marks a shift in nuclear energy policy across Europe, particularly in light of the recent energy crisis triggered by geopolitical events.
In 2021, before the onset of the war in Ukraine, nuclear power accounted for a quarter of the electricity generated in EU countries. Yet recent years have witnessed a decline in overall production, with EU plants generating less energy than in previous decades. The construction of new nuclear plants typically requires substantial investments and can take over a decade to complete; as such, the current landscape for nuclear energy in Europe is complex.
In Italy, the discussion surrounding nuclear energy has gained momentum, especially as political leaders from the League and Carlo Calenda's Action party express their support. However, opinions diverge substantially among both coalition and opposition parties regarding the path forward for nuclear energy in the country. Key questions remain unresolved, especially regarding the establishment of a permanent national storage facility for nuclear waste, which is crucial for isolating hazardous materials from the environment for the next 300 years.
Currently, Italy's nuclear waste is stored across twenty facilities scattered throughout the country, leading to significant maintenance costs. This waste includes not only byproducts from the nation’s previous 32 years of nuclear energy but also materials from various other industries, including medicine, where radioactive substances have found application in diagnostics and treatment.
As Italy navigates the complexities of reintroducing nuclear power, the balance between energy independence, environmental concerns, and public opinion will be critical to its success.
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