The Italian Senate's upper house has given final approval to Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government plan for restarting nuclear power generation, marking a significant policy shift nearly 40 years after an Italian referendum forced the country's reactors to shut down in 1987. The government's nuclear initiative aims to deploy advanced modular reactors to support Italy's decarbonization efforts and enhance energy security. Officials argue that technological and safety advancements have made the concerns that prompted the 1987 anti-nuclear referendum obsolete.
The Meloni administration is seeking to protect the Italian economy from energy cost surges triggered by ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, which has renewed calls to reduce the country's dependence on foreign energy supplies. Energy Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin commented on the parliamentary vote, stating: "Sustainable power will, along with renewable energy sources make Italy a secure, independent, and competitive country." Italy currently relies heavily on energy imports, including electricity produced by nuclear plants in neighboring countries such as France. According to the government's plan, nuclear power could account for at least 11 percent (EUR17 billion) of Italy's energy mix by 2050, with projections showing this share could potentially rise to 22 percent according to the national plan for energy and climate.
The legislative framework provides the government with 12 months to implement the necessary decrees to restart nuclear power production. The law also establishes provisions for the decommissioning of old facilities and the creation of an independent regulator. Public opinion on the nuclear issue remains divided.
A Demopolis poll conducted in June found that while 51 percent of respondents supported restarting nuclear energy generation, a majority opposed the construction of a plant near their own home. Opposition parties, primarily from the centre-left, largely voted against the measure, with Five Star Movement Senator Elena Sironi urging that new plants be located only in areas already developed, degraded, or affected by former industrial activities, without consuming additional land. Anti-nuclear activists continue to raise concerns about the safety risks and the extended timeline required for new reactor construction, arguing these factors outweigh potential benefits.
However, the government's approval represents a major policy reversal for a nation that had banned nuclear power for four decades. Source: Reuters, as cited by Energy News
Source: energynews.oedigital.com