Italy adopts a law enabling a return to nuclear energy

The project was adopted by the Senate and earlier by the Chamber of Deputies. The law authorizes the government to issue decrees regulating the production of nuclear energy.

The regulations are to cover, among others: principles of construction and operation of power plants, hydrogen production using nuclear energy, spent fuel management, safety issues and operation of control bodies.

The Minister of the Environment and Energy Security, Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, announced that the implementing decrees should be issued by the end of the year.

Italy abandoned nuclear energy after a referendum in 1987. The vote took place a year after the disaster at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.

The new act does not mean the immediate launch of the reactors. However, it is intended to create a legal basis that will enable the implementation of such investments in the future.

Meloni: Less dependence on foreign countries

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni emphasized in a post on Platform X that Italy currently imports electricity generated in nuclear power plants in neighboring countries, although it cannot produce it itself.

According to the head of the Italian government, the return to nuclear power is to increase the country's energy security, reduce dependence on foreign suppliers and reduce susceptibility to the effects of international energy crises.

Meloni also pointed to the need to provide stable, low-emission energy sources. In her opinion, the demand for electricity will increase, among others: with the development of data centers and artificial intelligence technologies.