«New referendum on clean and latest generation power stations»- Corriere.it

Matteo Salvini opens up to a return of nuclear energy in Italy. “I’m ready to go back to a referendum arguing why Italy should get clean and latest generation nuclear power.” This was stated by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure, Matteo Salvini, at the “L’Italia dei Sì” event. Then the leader of the League and Minister of Transport and Infrastructure observed: «If we are to become autonomous from an energy point of view, we cannot exclude ourselves from any source of energy production. I am a convinced nuclearist but not for support, we are surrounded by countries that produce energy through nuclear power and which obviously have a competitive advantage over our companies; if we went back to the family of progress and development, in seven years we would have a first operational modular reactor».

The yes of Forza Italia

Recently a political consensus is being created on the yes to nuclear power (here Milena Gabanelli’s Dataroom), which from the point of view of climate change has zero impact. “After the motion in favor of nuclear power, of which I was the first signatory, Forza Italia continues its commitment to ensure that our country can rely on an essential energy source to achieve the European goal of decarbonisation by 2050”, declared the deputy and deputy national coordinator of Forza Italia Alessandro Cattaneo on 20 July on the sidelines of the conference “Nuclear power in Italy: scenarios and perspectives” organized by the Forza Italia group in Montecitorio. «The initiative – he continues – offered an important opportunity for discussion between the main players involved in the energy transition process to identify the strategies to be put in place so that Italy can once again acquire the energy produced by the atom. Only by starting from a rigorously scientific framework will we be able to overcome those fears and prejudices which for too many years have penalized the use of nuclear power, essential for the country to achieve security and independence in the energy sector».

Cingolani’s opening

Even the former minister of ecological transition, the physicist Roberto Cingo, now CEO of Leonardo, does not hide his consent. «I’m back from an experience as energy minister and I dared to talk about nuclear power when it wasn’t in vogue. This brought me quite a few problems, but at least I reopened a debate. I did it as a physicist, because I don’t sell nuclear plants», said Cingolani, speaking in the Chamber at a conference on nuclear power organized by Forza Italia. A position that he had already expressed on other occasions.