The Italy Ministry of Environment and Energy Security has confirmed that the country's first new nuclear reactors could begin operating between 2033 and 2034, marking a dramatic reversal of the nation's nearly four-decade absence from atomic energy production. Environment and Energy Security Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin outlined the timeline during the Forum in Masseria on June 13, framing the nuclear push as essential to reducing energy dependence on foreign imports and securing the country's economic future.
Why This Matters
• Timeline: First reactors operational by 2033–2034, with regulatory framework finalized by year-end 2026.
• Referendum likely: Minister expects a public vote on nuclear energy in 2028 or 2029.
• Investment scale: Total costs projected to exceed €10 billion, potentially reaching €15–18 billion depending on capacity targets.
• Energy mix target: Nuclear expected to provide 10–15% of national electricity by 2040, rising to 11–22% by 2050.
Legislative Sprint Underway
The nuclear framework law has already cleared the Camera dei Deputati (lower house of Parliament) and is expected to pass the Senate before the summer recess. Pichetto Fratin emphasized that implementing decrees must be completed by December 2026 to keep the project on schedule. The government is focusing on Small Modular Reactors (SMR) of advanced third-generation design, with an eye toward fourth-generation fast reactors cooled by lead in the longer term.
According to the National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan (PNIEC), installed nuclear capacity could range from 8 to 16 gigawatts by 2050, contributing between 11% and 22% of total electricity demand. By 2040, the minister projects nuclear will account for roughly 10–15% of the national energy supply—a significant shift for a country that has relied heavily on imported electricity, including 12–16% from French nuclear plants across the border.
Space Efficiency as a Selling Point
Pichetto Fratin highlighted the compact footprint of modern reactors as a key advantage in densely populated Italy. A 300-megawatt reactor occupies the equivalent of three to four soccer fields, he noted, while generating the same output with solar panels would require approximately 3,000 fields. This spatial efficiency, combined with continuous baseload generation, positions nuclear as a complement to the country's expanding renewable portfolio rather than a replacement.
Italy has accelerated renewable installations to over 7 gigawatts per year in recent years, but the vast majority—approximately 5.8 GW—is solar photovoltaic. Wind power, by contrast, has lagged at just 1.2 GW annually, partly due to local resistance and complex permitting procedures. The PNIEC sets a 2030 target of 131 GW of installed renewable capacity, including 80 GW of solar and 28 GW of wind. Pichetto Fratin acknowledged ongoing challenges with "social acceptance" of wind projects and promised streamlined approval processes and updated incentives under the revised FER2 decree for offshore wind.
Investment and Financing: Who Pays?
Estimates for constructing Italy's new nuclear fleet vary widely depending on scale and technology. A single 100-megawatt SMR is projected to cost around €610 million, according to a study by consultancy EY. Scaling up to cover 3.5% of national electricity consumption by 2040 could require €15–18 billion in total investment. Internationally, new nuclear plants cost between $5,000 and $9,000 per installed kilowatt, and SMRs—despite their modularity—may prove more expensive per unit of energy than traditional large reactors.
Funding will flow from multiple channels. The Ministry of Environment and Energy Security has launched a nuclear research program administered by ENEA (the National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development) and CNR (National Research Council), focusing on SMRs, advanced modular reactors, and nuclear fusion. The Mission Innovation initiative has earmarked €7.5 million for nuclear R&D, while the government allocated an additional €7.5 million in 2025–2026 for public information campaigns aimed at building social consensus.
Italy's accession to the European Nuclear Alliance unlocks access to EU funding streams, including the Euratom research and training program, which dedicates €330 million for 2026–2027 (€222 million for fusion, €108 million for fission). The European Commission projects total nuclear investment across the bloc at €241 billion by 2050.
On the industrial side, Nuclitalia—a consortium involving state-backed utility Enel, engineering firm Ansaldo Energia, and defense giant Leonardo—is studying advanced technologies and developing SMR projects. However, legacy costs remain a burden: decommissioning Italy's old nuclear plants and building the National Repository for radioactive waste, managed by SOGIN, will cost an estimated €6.5 billion through 2030–2035, funded through a surcharge on electricity bills.
What This Means for Residents
For households and businesses, the nuclear restart carries both promises and uncertainties. Proponents argue that domestic baseload generation will stabilize electricity prices, currently vulnerable to volatile gas markets and cross-border supply disruptions. Critics warn of hidden subsidies, construction delays, and the risk that costs will ultimately fall on ratepayers through higher tariffs or taxes.
A national referendum on nuclear energy is widely expected in 2028 or 2029, Pichetto Fratin acknowledged during an event in Turin. "It is a constitutional right to participate in decisions of this magnitude," he said, pledging maximum transparency and clarity as the debate unfolds. Italy has twice rejected nuclear power at the ballot box—in 1987 following Chernobyl and again in 2011 after Fukushima—but recent polling suggests shifting sentiment. An Ipsos-Euractiv survey in March 2026 found 58% of Italians now favor nuclear energy, with support climbing to 70% in southern regions, driven partly by expectations of job creation.
Site Selection and Regional Tensions
Identifying suitable locations for reactors and waste facilities has already sparked controversy. A study by the Technical University of Munich identified 196 potential sites in Italy for fusion reactors, concentrated in the Po Valley between Turin and Venice, the Rome-Latina corridor, coastal areas near Ravenna and Brindisi, and pockets in Calabria, Sicily, and Sardinia. Criteria included proximity to heavy industry, grid capacity, and existing energy infrastructure.
In December 2023, the Ministry published the National Map of Suitable Areas (CNAI), listing 51 candidate zones for the National Repository: 21 in Lazio (many near Viterbo), 14 in Basilicata, 8 in Sardegna, 5 in Piemonte (near Alessandria), 2 in Sicily, and 1 in Puglia. Tuscany was initially included but later removed after regional objections.
Official positions vary sharply. Sardegna, Toscana, and Umbria have criticized the nuclear decree, particularly the criteria for siting facilities and waste storage. Puglia, by contrast, has proposed the Port of Taranto as a hub for importing advanced reactor technologies, viewing the nuclear revival as an economic opportunity. The divergence reflects broader tensions between national energy policy and regional autonomy.
European Context and Lessons
Italy's nuclear ambitions unfold against a backdrop of renewed continental enthusiasm for atomic energy. The European Commission has called abandoning nuclear a "strategic error," and EU-wide capacity is forecast to reach 109 GW by 2050, up from current levels, through life extensions and new construction.
France remains the regional heavyweight, with 57 reactors supplying roughly 70% of its domestic electricity and 60% of EU nuclear output. Finland recently connected the powerful Olkiluoto 3 reactor to the grid. Poland is building its first plant with three AP1000 reactors scheduled for 2033. Hungary, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, and Romania are expanding or extending existing fleets, while Sweden, Slovenia, and the Netherlands are evaluating SMR deployments.
The European SMR market is projected to reach 17–53 GW by 2050, though commercial deployment is not expected until around 2030. The Euratom program and ETS funding (€200 million earmarked for innovative nuclear technologies) provide financial backing, but challenges remain: waste management across the EU is estimated to cost €300 billion, supply chain resilience is fragile, and "first-of-a-kind" regulatory approval for SMRs remains untested at scale.
Italy's experience with the 1987 referendum—which shuttered the country's four reactors—underscores the importance of sustained political commitment and transparent public engagement. The government's pledge to finalize regulations by year-end and seek first authorizations by the decade's end reflects lessons from neighbors: clear timelines, industrial partnerships, and early stakeholder involvement are essential to overcoming the technical and social hurdles that have derailed nuclear projects elsewhere.
Whether the 2033–2034 target proves achievable depends on regulatory execution, industrial capacity, and—ultimately—the outcome of the anticipated referendum. For a nation long reliant on imported energy, the stakes extend beyond kilowatt-hours to questions of economic sovereignty and climate strategy.
