Italian senate approves return of nuclear power

ROME, ITALY - The Italian senate approved the Development Law (Legge dello Sviluppo), which among other things, gives the final authorization for the return of nuclear power to Italy and calls for the creation of a Nuclear Safety Agency.

According to the law, the Italian government has six months to select the sites for the four European Pressurized Water Reactors to be built according to the agreement signed February 24, between ENEL SpA and Electricite de France SA. The government also will be in charge of deciding the storage systems to be used for nuclear fuel and nuclear wastes.

This law introduces the creation of the Nuclear Safety Agency (Agenzia per la Sicurezza Nucleare), which will be in charge of the surveillance of the health and safety of employees and the general population, as well as environmental protection. This entity will work with the Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and the Environment as well as the institute for Environmental Protection and Research. Additionally, the Nuclear Safety Agency will report annually to the Italian Parliament.

Other measures enacted in this law are the reduction of bureaucratic steps for the permitting of energy infrastructure projects (specifically regasification plants, power grid works and hydrocarbons extraction); the improvement of the energy market by stimulating the competence; the stimulus of renewable energy production by a Energy Efficiency and Saving Extraordinary Plan; and incentives for the construction of windfarms and biomass power stations.