Country strategies to meet their energy needs: Italy

His Excellency A. Marzano, Minister of Productive Activities, Italy, indicated that, regarding nuclear power, a clear change in public opinion, notably by the young, has been seen in Italy. He indicated that the Italian Government believes that nuclear power should be proposed and maintained as a key element for energy source diversification, security of supply and environmental protection in the single European market. Italy's energy policy is currently driven by market liberalization, transfer of relevant political and administrative decision making powers to the regional authorities, diversification of supply sources, energy security, efficiency improvements and environmental protection. Significant reliance on oil and natural gas, including from external supply sources, raises concerns about security of supply and the risk of high energy costs. Most of the new power plants in Italy are gas combined cycles, with some coal fired units. It can be noted that Italy is importing about 16% of its electricity supply, and most of this import has nuclear origins. He suggested that if the European electricity market were to be organized as a single market, a single nuclear market could also be advocated which might be characterized by harmonized technical safety standards, shared criteria for physical safeguards and enhanced cooperation on nuclear waste and decommissioning. This approach, should it be agreed to by other European Member countries, would benefit from economies of scale and the existing institutions, and eventually lead to a more coherent European nuclear policy and long term strategy regarding the future of energy. He noted that Italy would support strengthened international cooperation and the participation of interested parties from Italy in new European and international nuclear technology programmes and projects. He concluded that during the past several years it has become clear that nuclear energy is an energy source that is deployable and which it is known how to manage, how to develop and how to deliver to meet our energy needs while coping with the changing world energy outlook