Italy plans to restore nuclear power in country
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni (photo: Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
The Italian government, led by Giorgia Meloni, is seeking to restore nuclear power in the country to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. The last nuclear power plant there was closed more than 30 years ago, according to Financial Times.
According to the newspaper, the Italian authorities are planning to introduce legislation that will allow investment in small modular nuclear reactions. They will be able to be put into operation within 10 years.
Minister of Environment and Energy Security Gilberto Pichetto noted that by 2050, nuclear power should provide at least 11% of the country's total electricity consumption. To ensure a continuous supply of clean energy, the Italian government is seeking to establish a quota for nuclear energy.
Pichetto also emphasized that renewable technologies, such as solar and wind power, cannot provide the necessary safety.
What is known about nuclear energy in Italy
The Financial Times writes that in the 1960s and 1970s, Italy built four nuclear power plants and planned to expand its nuclear capacity. However, after the Chornobyl accident in 1986, the majority of Italians voted in a national referendum to end subsidies for the development of new reactors. The last nuclear power plant in Italy ceased operations in 1990.
Former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi tried to restore nuclear power by passing a law and developing contracts for the construction of new reactors. However, in a 2011 referendum, 90% of Italians voted against such plans.
Today's polls show that 37% of Italians believe that nuclear energy is useful for the country, provided that this technology is safer. At the same time, 25% of respondents are strongly against the resumption of the nuclear program due to safety concerns.
The situation with electricity in Ukraine
Ukraine continues to experience power outages due to Russian attacks. Power companies are forced to use the so-called queuing system to limit electricity consumption. Thus, if we assume that 5 queues of consumers need to be turned off simultaneously, the power will be available only 4 hours a day.
At the same time, the Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal said that the situation in the energy sector of Ukraine should improve from the 20th of July.
Earlier, RBC-Ukraine reported that the Ministry of Energy hopes that by the fall Ukraine will be able to import more electricity.
