The Italian Chamber of Deputies approved this Thursday (4) a government bill Giorgia Meloni which authorizes the return of nuclear energy to the country, almost four decades after its abandonment. The text received 155 votes in favor, 86 against, and eight abstentions.
The bill now goes to the Senate, where the government hopes for approval before the parliamentary summer recess, scheduled for the end of July. The measure represents a historic turning point in Italian energy policy, as the country had withdrawn from the sector following a referendum held in the wake of the Chernobyl disaster in 1986.
Next-generation reactors
The government's plan focuses on small modular reactors (SMRs, AMRs, and microreactors), presented as an alternative to reduce dependence on energy imports and decrease greenhouse gas emissions.
If approved by the Senate, the text will give the government one year to regulate nuclear energy production, nuclear fusion research, and radioactive waste management. The law also provides incentives for regions that host nuclear facilities and simplifies licensing processes.
Forecast of operation and participation in the parent company.
The Minister of Environment and Energy Security, Gilberto Pichetto FratinHe stated that the implementing decrees should be issued later this year and that the first reactors could become operational between 2034 and 2035. According to him, the nuclear share in the Italian energy matrix could vary between 11% and 22%.
Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini argued that "Italy cannot do without nuclear energy" and described the measure as "the most urgent way to reduce energy bills" for families and businesses. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani celebrated the vote as "a historic first step towards the country's energy independence." (With information from ANSA)
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