The Senate in Italy has approved a government mandate to reintroduce sustainable nuclear power, completing a three-year process to explore this energy source. Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, Minister of the Environment and Energy Security, stated that nuclear power, integrated with renewables, can provide energy security and contribute to neutrality by 2050. The government views this as a strategic move to address energy market volatility, geopolitical tensions, and the need to reduce fossil fuel dependence, while also pursuing ambitious decarbonization targets.
The approved mandate empowers the government to regulate the introduction of sustainable nuclear power within the framework of European decarbonization policies and energy security objectives. Key components of this mandate include the development of a National Programme for Sustainable Nuclear Power, the establishment of an independent Nuclear Safety Authority, and the strengthening of scientific and industrial research. It also focuses on developing new skills and implementing public information campaigns.
This legislative step follows the Italian Council of Ministers' approval of a bill in October last year, which delegated responsibility for reintroducing nuclear energy to the government. The Chamber of Deputies, the lower house of Italy's parliament, passed the bill in June with 155 votes in favor, 86 against, and eight abstentions.
Focus on SMRs and Advanced Technologies
Italy is already engaged in initiatives related to small modular reactors (SMRs) and advanced nuclear technologies. Nuward, a French SMR developer, and its parent company 
EDF, along with Edison and Italian industrial partners Ansaldo and Maire, have expressed a shared vision for SMR development in Europe. Their ambition includes deploying a first reactor in Italy by 2035. Nuward aims to establish a fleet of 10 SMRs across five European Union member countries, with initial construction planned for 2030. This momentum is expected to create opportunities for Italian industry to contribute to technology development and integrate into the future European SMR program's value chain.
Newcleo, a France-headquartered developer of lead-cooled advanced modular reactors, also maintains significant operations in Italy. These include the first non-nuclear precursor prototype of its lead-cooled fast reactor. Last year, Newcleo signed a memorandum of understanding with the Italian cement association Federbeton to assess the potential for its technologies to collaborate with the cement industry.
Historical Context and Shifting Public Opinion
Italy previously operated four nuclear power plants, but phased out nuclear power following a 1986 referendum after the Chernobyl accident, closing its last two operating plants in 1990. A moratorium on nuclear plant construction was approved in March 2011 after the Fukushima Daiichi accident, with a June 2011 poll showing 94% of voters against new nuclear reactors. However, public opinion in Italy has since become more favorable towards nuclear energy. A June 2021 poll indicated that one-third of Italians supported reconsidering nuclear energy. In May 2023, the Italian Parliament approved a motion urging the government to consider incorporating nuclear power into the country's energy mix. The National Platform for Sustainable Nuclear Power, established in September 2023, held its first meeting to define a timeline for resuming nuclear energy and identify opportunities for the existing industrial chain in Italy.
