Italy's Environment Minister: Renewable Energy Alone Isn't Enough for Computing Demand; New Nuclear Technologies Needed

Central News Agency Report

(Central News Agency reporter Huang Ya-shi, Rome, 13th) Italy's Ministry of Environment held its second public dialogue session today to promote a return to nuclear energy. Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin emphasized during the meeting that relying solely on solar and wind power is insufficient to meet the rapidly increasing demand for data computation, and that sustainable new nuclear technologies must be developed. He stated this is a path the country must take.

Italy's Ministry of Environment and Energy Security released a press statement today, announcing that Minister Fratin attended the second meeting of the 'Sustainable Nuclear Dialogue' series in Naples on the 13th.

During the meeting, Minister Fratin stated that to address rising energy demands and achieve decarbonization goals, Italy must combine its existing energy systems with a significant expansion of renewable energy, supplemented by sustainable nuclear energy as a new power source.

Fratin emphasized, 'The key is transparency and clear recognition—this is a path we must take. To keep massive data computing centers running, we cannot rely solely on solar and wind power.'

When asked about the progress of the sustainable nuclear authorization bill in parliament, Fratin explained that the bill has already passed the lower house and is currently under review in the Senate. 'I believe the authorization bill will pass before the summer recess, after which the government plans to publish implementation guidelines by year-end,' he said.

On the technological front, Fratin pointed out that the discussion is no longer about first- or second-generation nuclear plants. 'Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) are manufactured in factories and transported to deployment sites. The next generation is Advanced Modular Reactors (AMRs), where so-called 'waste' becomes fuel for fourth-generation reactors. After 2050, fusion reactors will emerge. This is the evolution of nuclear technology systems,' he said.

Fratin added, 'New nuclear reactor development could be a public-private collaborative R&D project. We should open this door.'

The Italian Ministry of Environment recently held the first event of the 'Sustainable Nuclear Dialogue' series in Turin, northern Italy. The series, titled 'From Fermi to the Future,' honors Enrico Fermi, the Italian-American physicist who built the world's first nuclear reactor. (Edited by Chen Hui-ping) 1150714