The reform

Green light from the Chamber of Deputies for the nuclear bill: mini-reactors instead of old power plants

After the OK of the Environment and Production Activities Committees, the bill was approved by the Chamber of Montecitorio in its first reading and now passes to the Senate. All the novelties contained in the text

by Pietro Menzani

4 June 2026

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

The House of Representatives has given the green light to the sustainable nuclear energy bill with 155 yes, 86 no and 8 abstentions. With the approval of the Chamber of Montecitorio, the measure, presented in October 2025 on the government's initiative to relaunch sustainable nuclear power, now passes to the Palazzo Madama for consideration.

The text contains numerous novelties, from the dismantling of plants already present in the country to the possibility for municipalities to apply to host the new sites.

The Government's objectives

The bill, as explained in the text's explanatory memorandum, aims to intervene in the production of energy from sustainable nuclear sources given that 'energy policy constitutes one of the strategic axes of policies aimed at ensuring supply, economic development, national sovereignty and the independence of the country'.

The aim of the measure is therefore to ensure affordable energy for Italians, an aim that 'proves to be more difficult to achieve through the energy technologies currently used alone'.

According to the government, the electrification of consumption and the gradual decarbonisation of electricity generation through the use of renewable and low-carbon sources are necessary: this is precisely where nuclear power comes into play, which, as the introductory report states, would be 'able to guarantee stable and programmable energy production, regardless of weather conditions, to supplement that produced by non-programmable renewable sources'.

Il sì (parziale) dell’Ue sull’energia, i reattori nucleari sui mercantili e l’educazione imprenditoriale

A new energy mix

The Executive therefore considers it essential to replace the energy sources currently used, such as fossil fuels, with 'a new national energy mix, which could include, among other things, the development of a low-carbon, programmable and continuous source such as nuclear energy'.

The Minister of the Environment and Energy Security, Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, interviewed by the editor-in-chief of Il Tempo, Daniele Capezzone, said that 'with the proxy on nuclear power we want to take a decisive step to put Italia back in a position to produce energy from nuclear sources through new-generation technologies, profoundly different from those of the past and designed to integrate with the development of renewable sources'.

The minister went on to say that 'our country needs to strengthen its energy security and reduce a dependence on foreign energy that today exposes us to strong vulnerabilities, both economically and geopolitically. For this reason, the goal is to complete the regulatory framework and implementing decrees necessary to allow a concrete and informed assessment of the opportunities offered by the new nuclear power by the end of the year'.

Nucleare, Pichetto "Mettere l'Italia nelle condizioni di valutare"

News

The measure starts from a precise premise: a clear break with the nuclear plants of the past, which are destined for decommissioning, barring possible reconversion. Instead, the focus will be on new technologies, such as Smr (Small Modular Reactor) and Amr (Advanced Modular Reactor), which 'offer very high levels of intrinsic safety and, in the case of small modular reactors, also shorter construction times and greater flexibility in energy production'.

The Bill gives the Government the authority to regulate - by adopting the relevant legislative decrees within one year of the measure's approval -, among other things, the production and use of sustainable nuclear energy and the manufacture and reprocessing of nuclear fuel, as well as the management of radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel. The decrees are to be passed on the proposal of the Ministry of the Environment together with the other ministries responsible for the subjects of the various measures.

In addition, the bill obliges the government to issue provisions concerning, first of all, the provision of a programme aimed at the production and use of nuclear energy and the decommissioning of nuclear installations on national territory. In addition, the Executive will have to regulate the experimentation and construction of new nuclear power plants, but also the training of technicians, engineers and researchers to develop the necessary skills to deal with the production project.

Lastly, among the novelties contained in the text approved by the Chamber of Deputies is the introduction of the possibility for municipalities to apply to host new plants on their territory.