Italy's Minister for the Environment and Energy Security, Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, has announced that the bill on sustainable nuclear energy is scheduled for discussion in the Senate on Tuesday, with final approval expected by Wednesday. The minister outlined an ambitious timeline for when Italians might see nuclear power flowing into the national grid, suggesting that production could begin between 2033 and 2034 at the earliest.
Speaking in Catania at the fourth edition of the 'Da Fermi al Futuro' event on sustainable nuclear energy, Pichetto Fratin defended the government's energy strategy. "In nearly four years of the Meloni government, we have massively increased renewable energies, and we must continue to increase them," he stated, as reported by news agency ANSA. He argued that nuclear power must integrate with renewables such as hydroelectric, photovoltaic, geothermal, and wind, while progressively reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
What happens next
The sustainable nuclear bill, a delegating law that empowers the government to issue subsequent implementing decrees, completed its passage through the Chamber of Deputies on 4 June 2026. The Senate began debating the text on 16 September.
If approved, the law will not immediately authorize new plants. Instead, it tasks the government with issuing decrees to regulate the entire nuclear lifecycle—covering research, siting, safety, radioactive waste management, and community compensation. Pichetto Fratin indicated that subsequent decrees must define permitting procedures, establish an independent control agency, and set transparency rules. The aim is to issue the first decrees by the end of 2026.
The government's strategy focuses on new-generation technologies: Small Modular Reactors (SMR), Advanced Modular Reactors (AMR), micro-reactors, and nuclear fusion. By 2040, the plan aims for nuclear energy to cover roughly 3.5% of national electricity demand, equivalent to about five SMRs or one to two traditional reactors.
Cost, competition and credibility
Pichetto Fratin framed the challenge as providing sufficient clean energy both for decarbonisation and for families and businesses. "We give energy for families and businesses... to create conditions so future generations have quantity and accessible prices," he said.
However, independent experts and environmental groups have challenged the government's timeline and cost assumptions. Nobel physics laureate Professor Giorgio Parisi has argued it is "highly unlikely" Italy could have significant nuclear production before twenty years, given the immaturity of SMR technology. Critics note that capital costs for nuclear are extremely high, and in a future where renewables are abundant, nuclear output could become commercially marginal.
Environmental organisations also highlight unresolved issues around radioactive waste and public opposition, arguing that focus on nuclear distracts from faster, cheaper renewable deployment.
Italy must also rebuild an industry dormant for over 30 years, having abandoned nuclear power by popular referendum in the 1980s. The timeline faces a further political test: a referendum on nuclear power could be held between 2028 and 2029, potentially overturning the legislative framework now being finalised.
For households and businesses, the debate carries long-term implications for energy bills and security. The government argues that nuclear provides stable baseload power to complement intermittent renewables, stabilising prices. Critics counter that Italy's immediate energy needs would be better served by accelerating solar and wind installations, which can be deployed far more quickly.
