Full Breakdown
Italy’s Senate Set to Approve Law Enabling Nuclear Power
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Scheduled Senate Vote on Nuclear Legislation
The Italian Senate will vote on September 23 to approve a delegation law that creates a legal framework for the return of nuclear power after almost four decades of prohibition. The bill, already passed by the Chamber of Deputies, authorises the government to issue implementing decrees within 12 months covering reactor licensing, safety standards, waste management and research into advanced nuclear technologies.
Background & Context
Italy abandoned nuclear energy after a 1987 referendum following Chernobyl and closed its last reactors in 1990. A second referendum in 2011 reaffirmed the anti-nuclear stance. Since then, Italy has relied heavily on imported electricity, much of it generated by nuclear plants in neighboring France, exposing the country to volatile fossil-fuel markets and EU deficit monitoring.
Data & Statistics
- Senate vote tally (as reported): 81 in favor, 51 against, with seven abstentions.
- Government modelling in the National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan projects nuclear could supply about 11 % of Italy’s energy mix initially, rising to 22 % under a “conservative” scenario.
- The same modelling estimates a nuclear scenario could lower system costs by roughly €17 billion by 2050 compared with a pathway without nuclear.
- A June poll by Demopolis indicated 51 % of Italians support restarting nuclear generation, though a majority oppose locating new plants near their homes.
Official Statements & Responses
Energy Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin called the vote a “historic day” for Italy, emphasizing nuclear as a pillar for reducing reliance on imported energy and achieving climate goals. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s administration frames the legislation as a means to shield the economy from rising energy prices and to meet EU decarbonisation targets. The law also mandates an independent regulator and provisions for decommissioning old facilities.
Criticism & Opposition
Five Star Movement senator Elena Sironi argued that new plants should be located in already developed or degraded industrial areas, without consuming additional land. Environmental groups and centre-left parties warn that long construction timelines, high upfront costs and unresolved radioactive-waste management could outweigh the benefits, suggesting funds be directed to renewable capacity, grid modernisation and battery storage.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the timeline for reactor construction. While the law provides a 12-month window for decree adoption, analysts note that small modular reactors (SMRs)—the technology the government plans to prioritise—have not yet achieved widespread commercial deployment in Europe, creating uncertainty about when operational plants could appear. The status of a permanent national waste repository also remains unresolved, potentially delaying approvals.
What’s Next
If the Senate approves the bill on September 23, the government will have until the end of the following year to issue the required implementing decrees. Subsequent steps will involve rule-making on safety, licensing, site selection and waste management, followed by public consultations and coordination with European nuclear safety authorities. Only after these measures are in place could individual reactor projects be commissioned.
