Italian parliament approves return to nuclear power

Overview

Updated Yesterday

Italy's Senate voted 81–51 on September 23 to give the government the legal authority to restart nuclear power generation. It's the country's first legal path back to atomic energy since a 1987 referendum, held after the Chernobyl disaster, closed its four reactors.

The law is a delegation, not a construction permit. It gives the government 12 months to write decrees on reactor licensing, safety standards, and radioactive waste storage, and targets new small modular reactors. Energy Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin says the first units could run by 2033–2034.

The government estimates nuclear could supply at least 11% of Italy's energy mix by 2050, saving about €17 billion in decarbonization costs, with the share potentially rising to 22%. Opposition parties voted against the measure, and reactor siting plus a still-unbuilt national waste repository remain unresolved.

Why it matters

European electricity prices, Italy's gas import bill, and the continent's climate targets all shift if Rome actually builds these reactors.

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Key Indicators

81–51

Senate vote on nuclear law

Final approval vote, with seven abstentions, ending 39 years of nuclear prohibition.

12 months

Deadline for implementing decrees

Government must adopt reactor licensing, safety, and waste rules within a year.

11%

Target nuclear share of energy mix by 2050

Government projection; the share could eventually reach 22%.

€17 billion

Estimated decarbonization savings by 2050

Government's 2025 plan estimate, in euros.

2033–2034

Expected date for first reactors

Pichetto Fratin's estimate based on expert assessments.

Voices

Curated perspectives — historical figures and your fellow readers.

Ever wondered what historical figures would say about today's headlines?

People Involved

Giorgia Meloni

Prime Minister of Italy

Leading the right-wing coalition that pushed the nuclear law through Parliament

Gilberto Pichetto Fratin

Minister of Environment and Energy Security

Authored the nuclear delegation law, now responsible for drafting implementing decrees

Elena Sironi

Senator, Five Star Movement

Voted against the nuclear law in the Senate

Organizations Involved

Italian Senate

Upper house of Italy's Parliament

Passed the nuclear delegation law in its final vote

One of two chambers in Italy's Parliament, alongside the Chamber of Deputies.

Italian Government

Executive branch of Italy

Delegated to write and adopt the nuclear implementing decrees

The executive branch led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

ISIN — National Inspectorate for Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection

Nuclear safety regulator

Being reorganized as part of the new regulatory framework

Italy's national body for nuclear safety and radiation protection oversight.

Five Star Movement

Opposition political party

Voted against the nuclear law

Italy's largest opposition party, founded in 2009 and rooted in anti-establishment politics.

Timeline

November 1987 September 2026

5 events Latest: Yesterday

Tap a bar to jump to that date

September 2026
Senate approves nuclear law in final vote
Latest Legislation

Senate passes 81–51 with seven abstentions; law now heads for formal signature.
Yesterday
Chamber of Deputies passes the delegation bill
Legislation

Lower house approves the measure, sending it to the Senate for a final vote.
September 2026
2025
Meloni government outlines nuclear restart plan
Policy Announcement

Cabinet presents delegation bill targeting small modular reactors; projects 11% of energy mix by 2050.
2025
June 2011
Fukushima prompts second referendum against nuclear
Referendum

Italians reject Silvio Berlusconi's nuclear restart plans after the Japan accident.
June 13th, 2011
November 1987
Referendum ends Italy's nuclear program
Referendum

Voters back closing Italy's four reactors after the Chernobyl disaster.
November 8th, 1987

Scenarios

Italy adopts nuclear decrees, SMR program moves forward

Likely Resolves by Q3 2027

Discussed by: Government officials including Energy Minister Pichetto Fratin

The government writes the implementing decrees covering reactor licensing, safety standards, waste management, and siting criteria within the law's 12-month window. Pichetto says decrees could arrive by the end of 2026. With rules in place, the government can seek private partners for small modular reactor projects and begin site selection, keeping the 2033–2034 startup target within reach.

Decree timeline slips under local, legal, and EU pressure

Possible Resolves by Q1 2028

Discussed by: Five Star Movement, environmental opponents, energy analysts

Local resistance to reactor siting, the unresolved national waste repository, or EU procedural reviews push the decree process past its deadline. Construction targets slide from 2033–2034 toward the late 2030s, and private investors grow cautious about committing capital to projects without clear regulatory closure.

Anti-nuclear referendum forces another public vote

Unlikely Resolves by End of 2029

Discussed by: Anti-nuclear movements; political precedent since 1987

Citizens' groups and opposition parties gather the 500,000 signatures needed to petition an abrogative referendum, as happened in 1987 and 2011. If scheduled, the referendum could overturn the law before any reactor is built, repeating the pattern that has blocked nuclear power in Italy twice before.

Historical Context

3 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

1980 – January 2024

Sweden reverses its nuclear phase-out (1980–2024)

Sweden voted in a 1980 advisory referendum to phase out nuclear power but never fully did. In 2010 it repealed the ban on new reactor construction, and in late 2023 voted to build up to 10 new reactors, targeting a major expansion.

Then

Sweden now plans one of Europe's largest nuclear expansions.

Now

The country went from a phase-out vote to a government-set target of doubling nuclear output.

Why this matters now

Sweden is the European precedent for reversing a long-standing anti-nuclear commitment, showing the path Italy is now attempting.

April 1986 – November 1987

Chernobyl and Italy's 1987 referendum (1986–1987)

The April 1986 Chernobyl disaster spread radioactive fallout across Europe. In November 1987, Italian voters approved a referendum that effectively ended the country's civilian nuclear program, leading to the closure of Italy's four operating reactors.

Then

Italy's nuclear plants were shut down and construction projects scrapped.

Now

Italy has had no civilian nuclear fleet for nearly four decades and still lacks a permanent repository for waste from its old plants.

Why this matters now

This referendum is exactly what the 2026 law reverses. Politicians now argue that reactor technology and safety regimes have changed since 1987.

March–June 2011

Fukushima and Italy's 2011 referendum (2011)

After the nuclear accident at Fukushima, Italy's then-Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi had planned a nuclear comeback. Voters rejected those plans in a June 2011 referendum, again blocking atomic power.

Then

Nuclear plans were shelved and a ban on new plants confirmed.

Now

The vote reinforced Italy's anti-nuclear consensus for another decade and shaped the current opposition's position.

Why this matters now

Italians rejected nuclear as recently as 2011. The 2026 law must overcome that legacy and a generation of voters who associate atomic energy with catastrophe.