EDF, Edison, Ansaldo Energia, Ansaldo Nucleare and Federacciai have joined forces to promote the use of nuclear energy to boost competitiveness and decarbonise Italy’s steel industry.

The companies signed a Memorandum of Understanding agreeing to consider co-investment opportunities in new nuclear energy and the construction of Small Modular Reactors in Italy over the next decade.

The signatories will utilise their experience and competencies to maximise the opportunities to decarbonise Italy’s steel industry: Federacciai, as the representative entity of Italian steel companies, Ansaldo Energia as an Original Equipment Manufacturer of turbines and generators, Ansaldo Nucleare as a system and component developer, EDF as nuclear owner-operator and Edison as an Italian energy company.

The parties will look to establish a medium to long-term nuclear energy supply contract, leveraging the capacity of the interconnector already operating between Italy and France.

Antonio Gozzi, president of Federacciai, commented on the collaboration: “The agreement signed today is of crucial importance for the Italian steel industry and the entire production chain. The commitment of Italian steelmakers is clear: we intend to lead the transition to a fully sustainable steel industry.

“Thanks to agreements like this, within a few years, Italy can become the first country in the world to produce fully decarbonised steel. Nuclear power will be a strategic and much needed component in achieving such ambitious goals, providing the industry with a secure and environmentally friendly energy supply,” added Gozzi.

Gozzi suggested that this agreement would set an example for other hard-to-abate industries to follow to reach decarbonisation targets.

The importance of nuclear energy

The companies agree that nuclear energy will boost competitiveness in the steel industry and will play a critical role in aiding Europe to achieve its broader 2050 net-zero targets.

Nicola Monti, Edison CEO, said: “The agreement announced today marks further progress in setting an agenda for developing new nuclear energy in Italy. Currently Italy imports about 15-20% of its energy from abroad. The development of a national supply chain for the production of new nuclear energy, making the most of the technological advances of recent years and investing in the improvement of local skills, represents a phenomenal opportunity to achieve not only decarbonisation targets, but also greater independence and security for the country’s energy system.”

EDF aims to use this partnership to boost French-Italian cooperation in the field of decarbonised electricity generation from nuclear sources. “Our aim is clearly to support the relaunch of the nuclear option in Italy and to strengthen industrial cooperation between the two countries in Italy, in France and in Europe,” said Xavier Ursat, EDF Group senior executive vice president in charge of Strategy, Technologies, Innovation and Development.

Daniela Gentile, Ansaldo Nucleare CEO, added: “The Italian industry recognises the importance of a European approach in the nuclear sector and, as part of the Ansaldo Energia Group, we hope that this will result in the implementation of Italian nuclear projects over the next ten years.”

This article was originally published on Power Engineering International