News
Having pulled out of civil nuclear power in 1987 following a national referendum, Italy begun to re-examine this option in light of soaring oil prices and of its European commitments on greenhouse gas reductions.
- At the end of October 2008, Claudio Scajola, the Italian Minister for Economic Development, announced that the country would begin work on the construction of new nuclear power plants by 2013.
Italy's long-term aim is to achieve an energy mix of 25% nuclear, 25% renewables and 50% fossil fuels. - In February 2009, the Italian power generator Enel and its French counterpart EDF signed two industry agreements paving the way for close cooperation between France and Italy for the construction of new nuclear power plants. Under the terms of these agreements, Enel now holds a 12.5% stake in the Penly 3 EPR™ reactor, two years after having acquired the same level of holding in the Flamanville 3 plant.
- In August 2009, EDF and Enel formed Sviluppo Nucleare Italia, a 50/50 joint venture based in Rome to conduct feasibility studies for the development of four EPR™ reactors in Italy.
- In January 2010, the Italian government gave its final approval to legislation setting out the criteria governing the process of selecting locations for eight future nuclear power plants. Claudio Scajola believes that work on the first projects will begin in 2013, with power generation following in 2020.
Back end
AREVA treats and recycles spent fuel originating from Italian power plants.
In April, 2007, the Italian SOGIN company chose the -recycling of its spent fuels by signing a contract with AREVA. This agreement covers the recycling of 235 tons from three nuclear plants in Italy.
The processing of these fuels will retrieve recyclable materials (plutonium and uranium) to produce electricity again.
The transportation of spent fuel to AREVA La Hague plant started in 2007. After recycling, the final waste will be returned to Italy no later than December 31st, 2025.
National energy resources: natural gas and proven reserves of an estimated 94.15 billion m3 at January 1, 2009 and oil and estimated proven reserves of 406.5 million barrels at January 1, 2008.
Energy consumption mix: 55% natural gas, 15.7% renewables, 14% coal and 7% oil in 2007.
Electricity Production: 292 TWh in 2008.
Italy is Europe’s biggest importer of electricity: more than 46 TWh in 2007 (nearly 14% of national demand), with the majority coming from France and Switzerland.
Nuclear Power Plants
- Having pulled out of civil nuclear power in 1987 following a national referendum, 4 reactors were shut down
- The Montalto di Castro plant (two 982 MWe BWRs), almost completed, when the construction was stopped in 1987.
Research reactors: 2 TRIGA Mark II reactors in Pavia and Rome.
Resources in Uranium: 4,800 tU (RAR, Reasonably Assured Resources in 2004).
Non-Proliferation AIEA: NPT (1975), Safeguards Agreements (1977), Additional protocol (1998).
Nuclear Cooperation Agreements: France (May 2005), Russia (March 2007), Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP, November 2007), Japan (June 2009), United States (November 2009).
Safety authorities
Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA), the Institute for Environmental Protection and Research formed in 2008 and headed by Vincenzo Grimaldi.
Agenzia nazionale per le nuove tecnologie, l’energia e lo sviluppo economico sostenibile (ENEA), the Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development formed in 2009 and headed by Giovanni Lelli.
Autorità per l'energia elettrica e il gas (AEEG), the national electricity and gas authority formed in 1995 and headed by Carlo Crea.
Electricity companies
Ente Nazionale per l'Energia Elettrica (Enel): formed in 1962, Enel is Italy’s largest power generator, with an installed capacity of 96,000 MWe, and the country’s second-largest gas supplier, holding a 12% share of the market. Headed by Fulvio Conti since 2005, its majority shareholders are the Italian Ministry of the Economy and Finance (13.88%) and the Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (17.36%).
Edison: formed in 1884, it controls 16.4% of the market with an installed capacity of 12,000 MWe. Edison is controlled 61.3% by the privately-owned Transalpina di Energia and 19.4% by EDF, and has been headed by Giuliano Zuccoli since 2005.
Edipower: formed in 2002, and owned 50% by Edison, it has an installed capacity of 7,600 MWe and is chaired by Roberto Grassi.
EniPower: formed in 1999 and wholly-owned by the Italian oil company Eni, EniPower has an installed capacity of 5,200 MWe, and is headed by Francesco Zofrea.
Acea: dating from 1909, Acea is controlled 51% by the City of Rome and is chaired by Giancarlo Cremonesi.
Terna: formed in 2009, Terna is a transmission and distribution company, and has been chaired by Luigi Roth since 2005.
Nuclear cycle operators
Società Gestione Impianti Nucleari (SOGIN): formed in 1999, SOGIN is responsible for managing the decommissioning and dismantling of Italian nuclear installations. Controlled by the Ministry of the Economy and Finance, it has been headed by Francesco Mazzuca since August 2009.
Ansaldo Energia: formed in 1853 this company is now a subsidiary of the Finmeccanica Group specializing primarily in nuclear power plant engineering and construction. It is headed by Giuseppe Veredice.
Nucleco: formed in 1981, Nucleco specializes in the management of nuclear waste and decontamination. It is controlled 60% by Sogin and 40% by Enea. The company has been chaired by Francesco Troiani since 2007.