Nuclear power in Italy

Garigliano

Caorso

Enrico
Fermi

Latina

Montalto

Nuclear power stations in Italy (view)
 Closed plants
 Canceled plants

Nuclear power in Italy is a controversial topic. Nuclear power was used until the Italian nuclear power referendum closed all plants by 1990, a decision which was reversed in 2008 (see also nuclear power debate). Calling the phase-out a "terrible mistake, the cost of which totalled over €50 billion (approximately $68 billion)",^[1] Industry Minister Claudio Scajola proposed building as many as 10 new reactors, with the goal of increasing the nuclear share of Italy's electricity supply from today's 10% to about 25% by 2030.^[2] Following the 2011 Japanese nuclear accidents, the Italian government put a one-year moratorium on plans to revive nuclear power.^[3] On 11—12 June 2011, Italian voters passed a referendum to cancel plans for new reactors. Over 94% of the electorate voted in favor of the construction ban, with 55% of the eligible voters participating, making the vote binding.^[4]

Nuclear phase-out

Italian nuclear power referendum, 1987

The Italian nuclear power referendum of November 1987 polled voters on three issues:

• abolishing the statutes by which the Inter-ministries Committee for the Economical Programming (CIPE) could decide about the locations for nuclear plants, when the Regions did not so within the time stipulated by Law 393;
• abolishing rewards for municipalities in whose territories nuclear or coal plants were to be built;
• abolishing the statutes allowing Enel to take part in international agreements to build and manage nuclear plants.

Some commenters find that the questions were actually too technical for non-experts and were used to obtain popular consent after Chernobyl disaster in 1986.^[5][6]

In each referendum Sì ("Yes") won. Subsequently, the Italian government decided in 1988 to phase out existing plants. This led to the termination of work on the near-complete Montalto di Castro Nuclear Power Station, and the early closure of Enrico Fermi Nuclear Power Plant and Caorso NPP, both of which closed in 1990. Italy's other nuclear power plants had already closed prior to the decision, Latina NPP in December 1987.

Post-referendum development

Since that time, Italy became a larger importer of power, reaching approximately 10% of their electricity from nuclear-dependent France by 2007. The new policy, pursued by Silvio Berlusconi's government, of embracing nuclear power was intended to reverse this trend. An earlier agreement to become part owner of the second EPR, to be built in France, was rejected by the French, Italian utilities are investing heavily in nuclear capacity in central Europe.^{[citation needed]}

Restoration of nuclear energy

On 13 November 2007, during his speech at the World Energy Council in Rome, Italy's nuclear stance was criticized by CEO of Eni, Paolo Scaroni.^[7] In January 2008, a think tank Energy Lab started a feasibility study for construction of three or four new nuclear power plants in Italy as a part of a new debate on nuclear power in the country.^[8] The Italian general election of April 2008 saw the victory of the People of Freedom, a party which strongly supports nuclear power.^[9] Following the election victory, the new Italy's industry minister Claudio Scajola announced that the government scheduled the start of the construction of the first new Italian nuclear-powered plant by 2013.^[10] Enel S.p.A. planned to build new reactors at one of three licensed sites: Garigliano, Latina, or Montalto di Castro. The first two had small reactors operating until 1982 and 1987. At Montalto di Castro two larger reactors were nearly completed when the country's referendum halted the construction in November 1987.^[11]

On 24 February 2009, a new agreement between France and Italy was signed, thus allowing Italy to share in France's expertise in the area of nuclear power station design. Under the agreement, a study was to be conducted to determine the feasibility of building 4 new nuclear power stations in Italy.^[12] On 9 July 2009 the Italian legislature passed an energy bill covering the establishment of a Nuclear Regulatory Agency and giving the government six months to select sites for new plants.^[13] However the nuclear agenda of Silvio Berlusconi's government was slowed down due to the strong opposition of ten Italian regions (Basilicata, Calabria, Emilia-Romagna, Lazio, Liguria, Marche, Molise, Puglia, Tuscany and Umbria), who challenged the energy bill passed on 9 July 2009 (the part that gives the government the responsibility for the reopening of nuclear facilities in the country) because they deemed it as unconstitutional. On 24 June 2010 the Italian Constitutional Court rejected the appeal, but the Italian Government had to approve a new version of the Legislative Decree 31/2010 on nuclear sites, in order to adapt it to the decision of the Constitutional Court. The members of the Nuclear Regulatory Agency were named by the government only on the 5th November 2010 and the list sent to the Italian Parliament for approval.^[14] On the 1st December 2010 a joint meeting of the Italian Parliament commissions for the Environment and for Productive Activities rejected one of the nominations putting a further stop to the Italian Government plans.

On 3 August 2009, Enel and Électricité de France established a joint venture Sviluppo Nucleare Italia Srl for studying the feasibility of building at least four reactors using Areva's European Pressurized Reactors.^[15]

2011 Referendum

The Italian Government put a one-year moratorium on its plans to revive nuclear power, following radiation leaks from the 2011 Japanese nuclear accidents.^[16] A further Italian nuclear power referendum was held on the 13th June 2011 and the No vote won, leading to cancellation of future nuclear power plants planned during the previous years, and due to the Italian nuclear power referendum turn out being over 50%+1 of the Italian population creates a legally binding cancellation of future plants.

References

1. ^ "Nuclear phase out a '€50 billion mistake'". World Nuclear News. 2008-10-20. http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/NP_Nuclear_phase_out_a_50_billion_mistake_2010081.html. Retrieved 2008-10-21. 
2. ^ "Italy to build 8–10 nuclear reactors". Calgary Herald. October 17, 2008. http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/calgarybusiness/story.html?id=6c824634-0230-49c8-8f78-08e8dc7690bb. Retrieved 2008-10-21. 
3. ^ "Italy puts 1 year moratorium on nuclear". Businessweek. March 23, 2011. http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9M504RG0.htm. 
4. ^ "Italy Nuclear Referendum Results". June 13, 2011. http://referendum.interno.it/referendum/refe110612/RFT0003.htm. 
5. ^ Fornaciari, P. (1997). Il petrolio, l'atomo e il metano. Edizioni 21mo secolo. 
6. ^ Nebbia, Giancarlo (2007). Nucleare: il frutto proibito. Milan: Bompiani. ISBN 978-88-452-5954-8. 
7. ^ Uchenna Izundu (2007-11-13). "WEC: Eni chief criticizes Italy's nuclear stance". Oil & Gas Journal (PennWell Corporation). (subscription required). http://www.ogj.com/display_article/311976/120/ARTCL/none/GenIn/1/WEC:-Eni-chief-criticizes-Italy. Retrieved 2007-11-24. 
8. ^ Reuters. Italy renews nuclear power debate. Jan 9, 2008.
9. ^ Forbes. A2A Head wants Italy to build 3 or 4 nuclear power stations. April 14, 2008.
10. ^ Giselda Vagnoni (2008-05-02). "Italy should build more nuclear plants - minister". Reuters. http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssIndustryMaterialsUtilitiesNews/idUSL2276751620080522. Retrieved 2008-05-22. 
11. ^ "Nuclear Power in Italy". World Nuclear Association (WNA). June 2008. http://world-nuclear.org/info/inf101.html. Retrieved 2008-06-22. 
12. ^ "Italy and France pen nuclear deal". BBC News. 2009-02-24. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7908434.stm. Retrieved 2009-02-24. 
13. ^ "Italy rejoins the nuclear family". World Nuclear News. 2009-07-10. http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/NP_Italy_rejoins_the_nuclear_family_1007091.html. Retrieved 2009-07-11. 
14. ^ "Italian nuclear safety agency board named". World Nuclear News. 2010-11-08. http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/IT-Italian_nuclear_safety_agency_board_named-0811107.html. Retrieved 2010-11-09. 
15. ^ Selina Williams, Liam Moloney (2009-08-03). "Enel, EDF to Build Nuclear Plants in Italy". The Wall Street Journal. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124932829249202353.html. Retrieved 2009-08-09. 
16. ^ "Italy puts 1 year moratorium on nuclear". Businessweek. March 23, 2011. http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9M504RG0.htm. 

External links

• Nuclear power in Italy at the WNA site.
• Nuclear power profile of Italy at the NEA site.