Italy plans to finalise its strategy to reintroduce nuclear power by the end of 2027, as part of its broader efforts to achieve a more sustainable energy mix.
Reuters reported that in an interview with Italian daily Il Sole 24 Ore, Italian Minister of the Environment and Energy Security Gilberto Pichetto Fratin said that the country is seeking to resume nuclear power operations as part of its future energy strategy.
Notably, Italy abandoned nuclear-fired power plants following referendums in 1987 and 2011.
Currently, the government is drafting legislation to withdraw the ban, with the first draft expected to be submitted for cabinet approval within the next two weeks.
“Italy is ready to return to nuclear power, a crucial choice that will not replace renewables but will complement them, ensuring a balanced and sustainable energy mix,” the minister was quoted as saying in the interview.
The government has highlighted that small modular reactors (SMRs) and advanced modular reactors will help in decarbonising the most polluting industries in the country including steel, glass and tilemaking.
It is estimated that Italy can save €17bn ($17.7bn) in decarbonising costs by 2050, provided nuclear power accounts for at least 11% of its energy mix.
Despite the ban, Italian state-controlled utility Enel runs nuclear power stations in Spain. Eni, another Italy-based energy company, has also invested in the development of a nuclear fusion reactor in the US.
Last year, Minister Fratin said that Italy held discussions with several companies including US energy group Westinghouse and French firm EDF as potential partners for a state-backed entity that will develop advanced nuclear reactors in the country.
Recently, Italy’s Edison signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with EDF and ENEA to partner on industrial applications of SMRs.
