Italy eyes up nuclear energy with plans to approve new plants by 2025

euronews (in English)

The government has appointed teams to draft specific laws to address a renewed Italian interest in nuclear energy, as well as parliamentary committees that will examine the possibilities.

Transcript

00:00Following a 1987 referendum ban, Italy started the phase-out of nuclear energy, but the need

00:08to reduce reliance on fossil fuels is pushing the current government to rethink its approach

00:13on the matter.

00:14Italy's environment minister recently announced plans to introduce new regulations by the

00:19end of the year to allow the use of nuclear technologies in the country.

00:23We spoke to Riccardo Zucconi, who is part of one of the parliamentary committees tasked

00:27with an analysis on the issue.

00:57With the global demand expected to double in the next 10 years, Zucconi believes that

01:08renewable energies alone are not enough.

01:10The use of new types of plants could meet up to 11% of the national energy demand by

01:162050.

01:17The question is whether nuclear power can work hand-in-hand with renewables.

01:33According to an independent study that was published on the occasion of the recent Cernobbio

01:37International Forum, the two can be combined and the implementation of nuclear technologies

01:43could benefit the economy.

02:11Some environmental organizations are against the use of nuclear power for decarbonization.

02:16Meanwhile, Italian public opinion remains very divided over the issue and so does Europe.

02:22Giorgia Orlandi for Euronews in Rome.

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