Did the Italian Decision Makers Understand that Nuclear Is Not Business as Usual?

Abstract

In the 1950s, the confrontation on the nationalization of the electricity power system and the belief that nuclear energy would reach a dominant share in electric power production induced many Italian players to enter the nuclear business. After the nationalization of the electricity power system in 1962, even ENEL was not interested in continuing building nuclear plants. After the 1973 oil crisis, an ambitious nuclear program was issued, which omitted any choice on technologies, any information on plant siting and on the sharing of responsibilities among operators. The only decision taken was the commissioning of a boiling water reactor plant, which was never completed: after the 1987 referendum the Italian Parliament, besides stopping the building of new nuclear plants, closed the existing units. The 2008 farcical attempt to revamp nuclear power was defeated by the 2011 referendum.