Italy - World Nuclear Outlook Report
Nuclear policy and outlook
Italy operated a total of four nuclear power plants starting in the early 1960s but decided to phase out nuclear power in a referendum that followed the 1986 Chernobyl accident. It closed its last two operating plants, Caorso and Trino Vercellese, in 1990.
Italy's National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan submitted to the EU in mid-2024 outlines nuclear power capacity targets for 2050. Referring to the plan, the country’s Minister for Environment and Energy Security said: "We expect to be able to reach about 8,000 MWe from nuclear power by 2050, covering more than 10% of the nation's electricity demand. This percentage may increase to over 20-22% (16,000 MWe) by fully exploiting the potential of nuclear power in our country."
In September 2026, a new nuclear law was passed that lays out the principles for a regulatory framework. It empowers the government to issue decrees on the construction and operation of nuclear installations, including small modular reactors, as well as setting out rules for used nuclear fuel management and nuclear safety protocols.
Table It.1 Contributions to total capacity projection in 2050 (gross)
| 60 year operation (MWe) | 80 year operation (MWe) | Currently under construction capacity (MWe) | Planned capacity (MWe) | Proposed capacity (MWe) | Potential capacity (MWe) | Government capacity target (MWe) | Additional capacity* required to meet government target (MWe) | Total capacity (MWe) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | - | - | - | - | 16,000 | 16,000 | 16,000 |
| *Capacity additional to operable, under construction, planned, proposed and potential capacities required to meet the government target. | ||||||||
Readiness Assessment
The passing of the 2026 nuclear law is a significant step forward. To meet the government's capacity target will require considerable progress on institutional and infrastructure readiness, and transitioning to a programme of new build projects.
| Country Category | Candidate Although Italy used nuclear energy up to 1990, due to the length of time that has passed it is categorized as a Candidate country. |
|---|---|
| Policy Framework Readiness | Low-Moderate The government has passed initial legislation, but a more detailed framework will be required. |
| Institutional & Infrastructure Readiness | Low Italy retains significant nuclear engineering, research, decommissioning and regulatory expertise. The new law sets out the principles for a regulatory framework. |
| Programme & Project Development Readiness | Low-Moderate Government-supported technology programmes now constitute meaningful pre-project activity, but there is still no identified site, or selected reactor. |
| Target Achievability | Low-Moderate An 8000-16,000 MWe by 2050 scenario is achievable given Italy's industrial capability, but will require accelerated progress beyond the initial steps taken. |