A nuclear mission. On Wednesday, Italian power group Enel, defence giant Leonardo and Ansaldo Energia announced the creation of Nuclitalia, a new company dedicated to studying advanced nuclear technologies and analysing market opportunities.
- Enel holds 51%, Ansaldo Energia 39% and Leonardo 10%.
- “Nuclitalia will be in charge of assessing the most innovative and mature designs of new sustainable nuclear power, with an initial focus on water-cooled Small Modular Reactors (SMRs),” the partners stated.
Technical-economic roadmap. “The process will include defining specific requirements for the Italian system and selecting the most promising solutions based on in-depth technical-economic analysis,” the note reads.
- “The company will also evaluate opportunities for industrial partnerships and co-design with an approach based on innovation, environmental and economic sustainability, as well as enhancing the skills of the Italian supply chain.”
- Last month, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni signalled potential cooperation with the US on nuclear energy after meeting President Donald Trump in the Oval Office.
Governance and leadership. Nuclitalia’s Board of Directors will comprise seven members and be chaired by Ferruccio Resta, former Rector of the Politecnico di Milano.
- Luca Mastrantonio, Head of Enel’s Nuclear Innovation unit, will lead the company’s day-to-day operations.
- Five further executives from the shareholder companies will complete the board.
- In the coming weeks, a technical committee will be established to support Nuclitalia’s technological analyses.
National context and outlook. Italy’s Energy Minister, Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, welcomed the initiative, noting that Nuclitalia will play a key role in “strengthening Italian competitiveness and reducing energy costs” by complementing renewable growth with a “clean and secure” energy source.
- In February, the Italian government approved legislation to resume nuclear power, nearly 40 years after its ban by referendum.
- Analysts caution, however, that reinstating atomic energy could take more than a decade.
