Meloni vows Italy will revive nuclear power after four-decade hiatus

Since becoming prime minister in 2022, Giorgia Meloni has repeatedly advocated for a return to nuclear energy, and she reiterated this aim as her administration approaches its final year. The government seeks to break a long-standing taboo by re-examining nuclear options, positioning the technology as a symbol of national sovereignty and an alternative to renewable sources favored by other European right-wing parties. A recent Senate vote granted the cabinet twelve months to rewrite the nuclear regulatory framework, paving the way for small modular reactors and future fusion projects.

The target for commissioning new reactors is set for 2033 or 2034. While officials present nuclear as an innovative solution, many Italians recall the 1987 referendum that closed the nation’s four reactors after Chernobyl, a decision reaffirmed in 2011 following Fukushima.