Scajola: back to nuclear power

The new government bets on atomic energy and promises construction of five plants

The atomic energy debate in Italy had already involved bipartisan views on the possible return to nuclear power. At the industrialists’ annual assembly Claudio Scajola, Minister of Economic Development said it is now time to turn over the page. “Only nuclear plants safely produce energy on a vast scale with competitive costs, respecting the environment. Therefore we have to rebuild competence and protection agencies by setting up adequate entrepreneurial and technical pathways as well as envisaging reliable solutions for the disposal of radioactive waste.

Here is the minister’s view on the time required to build the plants: “By the end of this legislature, we will put down the foundation stone for the construction in our country of a group of new-generation nuclear plants.” Therefore at this stage the government has to solve the knotty problem of the 1987 referendum when most Italians failed the country’s nuclear policies. In his speech the minister of economic development mentioned the high costs that Italian companies have to bear for energy supplies. “The country needs energy at competitive prices, in due amounts and safe conditions. The energy bill weighs heavily on our budget (60 billion Euros) and makes the balance of trade negative.”

However, the present government is not only considering nuclear policies but its plans envisages clean carbon, energy efficiency and renewable sources solutions as well as infrastructures such as regassifiers, natural gas storage systems and transport networks.
Two decades after the last national energy plan, Scaiola promises to “draw a long- and short- period national energy strategy showing priorities, guidelines and implementation tools.”

“The strategy will be submitted to public discussion - concluded the minister – through a National Conference for Energy and the Environment.”
The nuclear issue has become quite topical at the moment and H2Roma.org will tackle it with in-depth research analysis on the ongoing development of technologies concerning the CO2 reduction.