Small-Scale Nuclear Power Plants: Italy Aims for a Long Road Back to Nuclear Energy

Italy is embarking on a new path toward nuclear energy, with the government of Giorgia Meloni advancing a framework law aimed at reintroducing atomic power. Following two public referendums that rejected nuclear energy in the past, the Chamber of Deputies has now passed a law that will be debated in the Senate before summer. The government hopes to have Italy generating its own nuclear power again between 2034 and 2035, with a focus on small modular reactors.

This move marks a significant shift for a country that abandoned nuclear energy after the Chernobyl disaster and a subsequent referendum in 1987. Until then, Italy operated four nuclear power plants. Currently, 59% of Italy's electricity comes from fossil fuels, primarily natural gas. A previous attempt to reintroduce nuclear power in 2009 failed after the Fukushima disaster led to another public rejection in 2011.

While the opposition in parliament has voiced strong criticism, arguing the government is delaying solutions to current energy price issues and has no plan for radioactive waste disposal, public sentiment appears to be changing. Recent polls indicate that 59% of Italians are now generally positive towards nuclear energy, with 67% preferring it over gas as a complement to renewables. This openness is particularly pronounced among the 18-to-34 age group, suggesting a generational shift in attitudes toward nuclear power.