Multinational power company Enel, defence company Leonardo and power generation supplier Ansaldo Energia are to form a new joint venture (JV) company to explore nuclear energy in Italy, as reported by Reuters.
The new company will conduct a feasibility study to identify the most suitable nuclear technology.
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The initiative follows the Italian conservative government’s recent legislation opening the door for a potential return to nuclear energy, which was banned in the country in 1987.
Enel will offer its experience in operating nuclear power stations in Spain, while Leonardo will investigate nuclear energy applications within the military sector.
Italy Energy Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin stated via videolink: “The regulatory framework will likely be completed in two and a half years from now.”
Despite the government’s preference for small modular reactors as a nuclear solution, there are concerns about the extended timeline required for their readiness, with estimates suggesting more than ten years.
In a separate development, Enel’s renewable energy arm, Potentia Energy, has completed the acquisition of controlling stakes in a portfolio of more than 1GW of renewable assets in Australia from CVC DIF and Cbus Super. The companies agreed to the transaction in February 2025.
The portfolio is geographically and technologically diverse, including more than 700MW of operational wind and solar assets and 430MW of late-stage battery energy storage system (BESS) developments.
The acquisition is part of Enel Group’s broader strategy to expand its renewable asset portfolio, focusing on stable markets. It follows the group’s acquisition of 626MW of hydropower assets in Spain in February 2025.
