Italy's government late Wednesday approved measures that aim to have rules ready by the end of the year in order to reintroduce nuclear power, as it seeks to slash rising energy costs.
Italy's cabinet met Thursday and agreed to have decrees ready by the end of 2008 determining criteria for picking the sites where nuclear facilities will be located, how to deal with atomic waste and incentives for localities accepting such plants.
Industry Minister Claudio Scajola said the government will approve by June 2009 a new energy plan for the country, and said nuclear power would be a key part of the strategy.
To help lower prices in Italy, which relies heavily on imports for its energy needs, Scajola pledged last month to reintroduce nuclear power by the end of the parliamentary term in 2013. Atomic power was banned in the country following a 1987 referendum.
Italy's leading power generators, Enel SpA (ENEL.MI), Edison SpA (EDN.MI) and A2A SpA (A2A.MI) have all praised the government's nuclear renaissance plans.