France and Italy plan to cooperate on industrial deployment of modular reactors

French company EDF and its Italian subsidiary Edison have signed a memorandum of understanding with Italian research organisation ENEA. The memorandum aims to foster cooperation on industrial applications of small modular reactors (SMRs).

The cooperation will focus on analysing thermal-hydraulic and passive safety systems, developing new technologies, operating integrated systems and exploring options for combined heat and power (cogeneration) for industrial use. The agreement also covers training activities and the exchange of know-how between researchers and doctoral students.

“Cooperation with ENEA, a leading Italian organisation in research into new nuclear technologies, is another step towards using these technologies to support Italian industry. In doing so, we are sharing technical and scientific knowledge, experience in managing nuclear power plants and a forward-looking vision,”said Lorenzo Mottura, executive vice president for strategy, development and innovation at Edison.

“The agreement with EDF and Edison will strengthen Italy’s role in Europe in developing innovative nuclear technologies. Our aim is to support Italian industry in entering the European SMR market while also strengthening ENEA’s leading position in innovative nuclear technologies, passive systems and large-scale experiments,” added Alessandro Dodaro, director of ENEA’s nuclear division.

Previous cooperation and follow-up agreements

In March 2023, EDF, together with Ansaldo Energia, Ansaldo Nucleare and Edison, signed a letter of intent to assess potential cooperation. The companies plan to draw on their respective specialisations for potential joint European nuclear energy projects, with a focus on SMRs.

In July last year, EDF, Edison, Federacciai, Ansaldo Energia and Ansaldo Nucleare signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at supporting the use of nuclear energy to boost the competitiveness and decarbonisation of Italy’s steel industry.

Under the agreement, the partners are considering opportunities for joint investment in new nuclear power sources, particularly the construction of SMRs in Italy over the next decade. They are focusing on using the SMR technology unveiled by EDF, Edison’s expertise and the technical and industrial capabilities of Ansaldo Energia and Ansaldo Nucleare.

History and outlook for nuclear energy in Italy

Italy operated a total of four nuclear power plants from the 1960s onwards. Following the Chernobyl accident in 1986, Italian voters decided in a referendum to end the operation of nuclear power plants. The last plants, Caorso and Trino Vercellese, were shut down in 1990.

At the end of March 2011, following the accident at Japan’s Fukushima plant, the Italian government announced a moratorium of at least one year on the construction of nuclear power plants, despite having previously planned to revive its long-abandoned nuclear programme.

In May 2023, the Italian parliament approved a resolution calling on the government to consider the possibility of including nuclear energy in the national energy mix. The Italian government subsequently included potential new nuclear power sources in its Integrated National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP), which it submitted to the European Commission on 1 July 2024. The Italian government is now preparing to adopt a framework law that would open the door to the country’s return to nuclear energy.