Italy May Reconsider Nuclear Power

21 January 2005

Reuters. Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi indicated a possible move away from Italy’s traditional anti-nuclear stance. Italians voted to close Italy’s nuclear power plants in a 1987 referendum, but the country imports electricity from France where nuclear power is one of the main sources of energy.

“The government is preparing a study to look at the future and giving the country energy reserves,” Berlusconi said in a speech at the opening of a new electricity line.

Berlusconi, in power for almost four years, hinted that if he is reelected next year, the nuclear question will be back up for discussion.

“One legislature is too short to impose a new energy plan and find answers to the questions which weigh on our system like whether or not to use nuclear power.”

As well as having to import much of its energy, Italy is struggling to keep down carbon dioxide emissions, a requirement of the Kyoto Protocol climate change treaty which comes into force this year.