Italian nuclear renaissance gathers pace
11 February 2009
Italy's revival of its nuclear power industry has moved a step further with the creation of a government department devoted to nuclear energy, renewables and energy efficiency.
Following a reorganisation of the Ministry of Economic Development, led by Claudio Scajola, the new Division for Nuclear Energy, Renewables and Energy Efficiency has been established. The division will be headed by Rosaria Fausta Romano, formerly the director of the Energy and Mineral Resources Division of the Minister of Economic Development since December 2006. Romano was also a member of the task force formed to advise the government on the recent Russian gas crisis.
Meanwhile, Scajola recently declared in a letter printed in the national newspaper Il Giornale that Italy is proceeding quickly with its aim to start construction of a new nuclear power plant before the end of the current legislature in 2013. He said a new plant was needed in order to reduce the country's energy dependency.
Scajola said that the government is pursuing a new nuclear strategy, which should help Italy fulfil its environmental targets while reducing energy prices, which are among the highest in Europe. The government, he said, is planning to reduce the share of oil and gas from the current 85% down to 50% by 2030. According to the plan, nuclear energy will by then provide 25% of Italy's energy and renewables 25%.
Meanwhile, a new regional energy plan has been approved for the southern island of Sicily. The plan calls for the construction of new power plants, including nuclear power plants, with a combined capacity of more than 12,000 MW.
Several companies are eager to take part in Italy's nuclear revival. In a radio interview, Klaus Schafer, manager for EOn's Italian operations, told Radiocor that the German energy company is interested in the return of nuclear energy to Italy and will eventually enter into the Italian market, alone or in partnership with a local utility.
Following a referendum in November 1987, provoked by the Chernobyl accident 18 months earlier, work on Italy's nuclear program was largely stopped. In 1988, the government resolved to halt all nuclear construction, shut the remaining reactors and decommission them from 1990. As well as the operating plants, two new boiling water reactors were almost complete and six locally-designed pressurized water reactor units were planned.
Scajola recently said that Italy made a 'terrible mistake' in phasing out nuclear power. He said that closing down of all the nuclear power plants was a 'terrible mistake, the cost of which totalled over €50 billion (approximately $68 billion), if you count direct and indirect costs.'