Italy has approved a proposal to draft laws to permit nuclear power generation, focusing on small modular reactors (SMRs). The government aims to finalise plans and legislation by the end of 2027, in order to supplement renewable energy sources.
Italy was a leading nuclear power-producing country in the 1960s but chose to phase out all nuclear plants after a 1987 referendum following the Chernobyl disaster. It closed its last two operating plants, Caorso and Trino Vercellese, in 1990. The fourth Berlusconi government attempted to launch a new nuclear power programme but that was also rejected by a referendum in 2011, shortly after the Fukushima accident.
In a 2024 survey commissioned by environmental group Legambiente, 75% of 1,000 respondents expressed scepticism that nuclear energy was a solution to Italy’s energy problems and 25% opposed it for safety reasons. However, 37% said they believed that nuclear energy could help Italy if the technology were safer.
Italy’s current government led by Giorgia Meloni in 2024 announced intention to adopt legislation to return to nuclear power using SMRs. The government has now launched the process to draft and eventually adopt the required laws. The process is expected to be lengthy as the draft law is part of a broader initiative to finalise a consolidated nuclear code by 2027.
“We will be able to achieve the decarbonisation targets with the latest-generation nuclear and renewables, guaranteeing the country’s full energy security,” Italian Energy Security Minister and Environment Minister, Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, said in a statement.
Last year, Pichetto said that Italy is in talks with several companies, including US Westinghouse and EDF, for nuclear power cooperation. The companies could be partners in an Italian state-backed firm to build advanced nuclear reactors in Italy, he said in October. “The scale of investment in nuclear power requires cooperation with several international players,” he told reporters.
The National Integrated Plan for Energy and Climate already includes scenarios in which nuclear power provides between 11% and 22% of Italy’s electricity by 2050. The government plans to allocate €20m ($20.7m) a year from 2027 to 2029 for nuclear investments. The most likely scenario is the establishment of a new state-controlled company comprising Enel, Ansaldo Nucleare and Leonardo. The selection of an international technology partner is ongoing. This company is expected to focus on research and development of third and fourth generation nuclear technologies.
Italy currently has some of the highest electricity prices in Europe. In January 2025, electricity costs were 25% higher than in Germany, 40% higher than in France and 48% higher than in Spain. As with all European countries, energy prices have risen sharply since sanctions were imposed on Russian gas.
