Italy, ready to go nuclear
- From: dave.walters@xxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: 14 Feb 2007 08:28:38 -0800
[The pendullum is continuing to swing toward Nuclear power again. Of
the 3 main "anti-nuclear" countries, Sweden, Germany and Italy, all 3
are now reversing their previous policies. Italy is unique becasue the
did shut all their reactors and now pay the highest costs for fuel in
Europe--D.Walters]
From: World Nuclear News
Italian cabinet minister speaks in favour of nuclear13 February 2007
Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister Massimo
D'Alema expressed support for the use of nuclear power as a part of a
diverse mix of economic energy sources at a high-level round table
discussion. Speaking at a round table discussion on "Energy Security
and Italian Foreign Policy: the European Prospective", D'Alema spoke
about "the long-term challenge of a fossil free economy." Referring to
the importance of the diversification of the energy mix, he added that
"vision and realism are needed, taking into account economic and
technological boundaries" and that "it is necessary to exploit the
best technologies for the use of clean coal" and "even to utilize
nuclear power."
In his speech, which also covered the expansion of the EU to the
south east of the continent and the need for a post-Kyoto protocol
agreement including all major economies, D'Alema underlined the need
for competitiveness in the energy sector and pointed out that "the
price of electricity in Italy is higher than the European average.
This anomaly - he clarified - can be explained by the different energy
mix employed in the country.
The rest of Europe in fact, relies on nuclear, or coal to meet the
greater part of their electricity needs, while Italy is the only
country in which - even today - a relevant share of its production
derives from oil, or natural gas." The round table was chaired by
D'Alema, flanked by the Minister for Economic Development, Pierluigi
Bersani, and the European Commissioner for Energy, Andris Piebalgs.
Representatives of the Italian energy sector (including the President
of the Electrical Energy and Gas Authority, the CEO of ENI and the CEO
of ENEL) also took part in the debate, which was concluded by Chicco
Testa (President of the organising committee of the Rome 2007 World
Energy Congress and former president of ENEL).
Summarizing the proceedings of the discussion, Testa singled out four
themes, which should become the pillars of the European energy policy:
1. Nuclear power as a low emitting, abundant and economic source of
energy.
2. Renewables and energy efficiency.
3. Diversity of supply and reduced dependency on imports.
4. Strengthening of the European internal energy market. Testa's
comments reflect an increasingly positive attitude towards nuclear
energy in Italy.
Following a referendum in November 1987, the government resolved to
halt all nuclear construction, shut the remaining reactors and
decommission them. Testa - who at the time was the president of the
'Environmental League' - was one of the promoters of that referendum.
.
- Follow-Ups:
- Re: Italy, ready to go nuclear
- From: Rolf Martens
- Re: Italy, ready to go nuclear
- Prev by Date: A cool Unit converter.
- Next by Date: Re: Electrify the buses!
- Previous by thread: A cool Unit converter.
- Next by thread: Re: Italy, ready to go nuclear
- Index(es):
Relevant Pages
|
Loading
