Exclusive-Italy sees Westinghouse, EDF as partners for nuclear power firm, sources say By Reuters

By Giuseppe Fonte, Francesca Landini and Angelo Amante

ROME (Reuters) – Italy is considering U.S. energy group Westinghouse or France’s EDF (EPA: ) as potential international partners for a state-backed company to build advanced nuclear reactors in the country, two sources familiar with the matter said on Thursday.

Nuclear power plants are banned in Italy following referendums in 1987 and 2011.

But the government plans to draw up rules by the end of this year to allow the use of new nuclear technologies, the energy minister said on Wednesday, reiterating his intention to lift the ban.

The right-wing administration led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni believes that small modular reactors and advanced modular reactors could help decarbonise the country’s most polluting sectors, including steel, glass and plate manufacturers.

EDF confirmed to Reuters that it is interested in supporting the Italian project.

“We are keen to support the SMR option in Italy,” an EDF spokesman said, adding that the French group was in active discussions with Italian companies and institutions through its Italian subsidiary Edison.

In July, EDF and Edison signed a memorandum of understanding with the Italian state-owned Ansaldo Nucleare and the Italian steelmakers association Federacciai for the use of nuclear power in the sector.

Ansaldo Nucleare and start-up Newcleo would also be part of the government’s project to build SMRs, the sources said. Newcleo declined to comment.

“Westinghouse and EDF would be the best (international) partners,” a senior government source told Reuters.

Westinghouse was not immediately available for comment.

Italian Energy Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin recently appointed a legal expert to help him draft a new law to be submitted to parliament next year.

During a recent parliamentary hearing, Pichetto said Italy could save 17 billion euros ($19 billion) on the cost of decarbonizing the economy by 2050 if it included at least 11 percent of nuclear power in its energy mix.

Despite the nuclear ban, Italy has retained its key expertise in this sector.

State-controlled utility Enel (BIT:) operates nuclear power plants in Spain, and energy major Eni is investing in a project to develop a nuclear fusion reactor in the United States.

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