Italian energy supply problems should not mean the current ban on nuclear power be lifted, according to Italian environmentalist groups. The country should instead look to boost solar and wind energy.
Nuclear power was banned in Italy after a referendum in 1987 following the Chernobyl disaster of 1986. However, a revival of nuclear energy production has been discussed by new government prime minister Silvio Berlusconi after oil prices reached record highs.
Marcello Saponaro, the head of Greens in the northern region of Lombardy spoke out about his distrust in nuclear power: "We say 'no' to nuclear - to construction of plants which would be outdated by the time they are built - the plants which are not secure and create waste problems."
The country relies on oil and imports to cover over 80 per cent of its own energy needs. Economic Development Minister Claudio Scajola says that building nuclear power plants within 5 years will ease Italy's current dependence on energy imports from other European countries.
Economically, the move to nuclear power makes a lot of sense - Italian power bills are currently amongst the highest in Europe. Fulvio Conti, chief executive of Italy's biggest utility Enel has said a revival of nuclear power would cut these bills by as much as 20 to 30 per cent.
But even supporters of the nuclear renaissance say that getting the public to vote in favour of nuclear will be extremely difficult, even if it was to significantly lower household utility bills. Italian environmentalist groups claim that these cuts in energy bills fail to take into account the cost of effective nuclear waste management.
Italy's Greenpeace, WWF and environmentalist group Legambiente want Italy to push energy efficiency. They believe this is a faster and more economically feasible way of solving the energy problem in Italy than nuclear revival.
Italian law states that local authorities have the final say in approval of any large industrial project - plans to construct a high-speed railway in the north of the country have previously been scrapped because of public disinterest.
Nuclear backers recently suggested that a review of the Italian constitution to give Rome the power to decide on major industrial projects. Environmentalists know that such a move would run into fierce opposition from the general public.
Marcello Saponaro says: "Italy is a democratic state, not a dictatorship. No one can impose a decision on people - no one can go above your head and build a nuclear station."
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This post was written by Ben Willis on June 3, 2008