Italy has not operated nuclear reactors since 1990 after a 1987 referendum; its government has now approved a draft law giving ministers 12 months to draw up implementing decrees to plan a return. Environment and energy minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin said the move is driven by national security and energy independence, and the proposal emphasises small and advanced modular reactors alongside fusion research while stressing safety and local consultations.

What the draft law would do - The Cabinet approved a framework bill delegating to the government the task of drawing up detailed rules for a return to sustainable nuclear power. Ministers have 12 months to adopt the implementing decrees that will regulate the sector. - Core elements in the draft include: a national programme for sustainable nuclear power; creation of an independent nuclear safety authority; enhanced scientific and industrial research; a programme of skills training; public information campaigns; formal consultations with municipalities to identify suitable areas for new plants; and territorial compensation for host communities. - The text singles out small modular reactors (SMRs) and advanced modular reactors (AMRs) and places fusion among research priorities. The government frames the approach as technologically neutral and intended to complement renewable generation. How ministers are selling the plan - Environment and energy minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin has presented the proposal as bolstering Italy’s national security and energy independence. He told television audiences the strategy could reduce energy costs and that safety will be central, with strict technical and certification requirements. - The minister said the government would be prepared to pause reactor construction if cheaper technologies emerged, framing the bill as legal groundwork for a cautious, regulated return to nuclear power. Political context and history - Italy was an early nuclear adopter in the 1960s but moved away from atomic power after a 1987 referendum following the Chernobyl disaster; the last reactors were shut in 1990. A later relaunch effort was reversed by a 2011 referendum after Fukushima. - The current push follows a May 2023 parliamentary motion inviting the government to consider nuclear power and the establishment of a National Platform for Sustainable Nuclear Power to develop timetables and industrial opportunities. The Meloni government aims to have plans and implementing rules ready effectively by the end of 2027. - The draft now moves to parliamentary committees and will face debate, amendment and votes in both the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate before it can become law. Safety, costs and industrial strategy - Proponents argue focusing on SMRs and AMRs reduces the physical footprint of new plants and can complement renewables rather than replace them. The draft links the revival of nuclear planning to industrial research, skills training and oversight measures intended to ensure safety and local engagement. - The bill also includes public information measures and compensation provisions intended to address community concerns and economic impacts.

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The draft now goes to parliamentary committees and will be debated, amended and voted on in both the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate before any implementing decrees can be adopted.

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