Italy moves to revive nuclear power as waste storage plan stalls

The Meloni government is placing nuclear energy back at the centre of Italy’s energy strategy, citing reduced dependence on foreign supplies and greater energy security as reasons to complement the ecological transition. The proposal revives a debate that was previously settled by referendums in 1987 and 2011, which rejected nuclear power, and has become a politically charged issue about respecting past popular votes versus current policy demands.

At the same time, Italy still lacks a permanent national repository for its radioactive waste. Roughly 33,800 m³ of low‑ and medium‑activity waste from former reactors, medical, industrial and research activities is stored in temporary sites, with high‑activity material awaiting return from re‑processing facilities in France and the United Kingdom. The planned National Deposit, intended to house low‑level waste permanently and medium‑high‑level waste temporarily, has been delayed amid site‑selection disputes and public opposition across several regions.

The combined nuclear revival push and the unresolved waste‑management problem create a contentious political landscape, raising questions about the balance between energy policy objectives and environmental responsibility.