The Italian government, under the leadership of Giorgia Meloni, is preparing the ground for a return to nuclear energy, which the country abandoned following the 1986 Chernobyl disaster.
“Elchi” reports that AP has provided information on this matter.
The government is pinning its hopes on a new generation of Italians who view nuclear energy as a low-carbon source of electricity, a tool to combat climate change, and a way to strengthen energy supply stability against the backdrop of shocks caused by wars in Ukraine and Iran.
Experts note that the government is counting on such support to soften the stance of Italians, who still view atomic energy through the prism of risk and catastrophe following the events of 1986 and have twice rejected a return to nuclear power in national referendums.
Next week, parliament is expected to approve a bill proposed by the government that establishes a legal framework for new-generation nuclear technologies.
Following this, the government will have 12 months to prepare executive decrees regulating reactor licensing, safety standards, waste management, and site selection.
The biggest political obstacle could be finding locations for the construction of reactors and the storage of waste. Any future reactor or waste storage facility will likely face strong resistance from local communities.
Italy was once one of Europe’s pioneers in nuclear energy. Until the 1987 referendum, four reactors were operating in the country, which effectively ended the nation’s atomic program after the Chernobyl disaster.
Məryəm