Gas crisis prompts Italians to reconsider nuclear energy

Though hardly any radioactive fallout from Chernobyl ever reached Italy, the worst accident in the history of nuclear power had a massive psychological impact on health-conscious Italians. On November 8, 1987, Italians banished nuclear energy by taking part in a referendum that received the support of more than 80% of voters. The last of Italy's existing nuclear power plants was finally shut in 1990. A growing number of people now believe this was a tragic mistake.

One of the main effects of the anti-nuclear stance is that Italy depends heavily on oil and natural gas from other countries. This means Italians pay the highest electricity bills in Europe - 14.6 euro cents per kilowatt/hour compared to a European average of 10 cents. Soaring petrol prices mean Italians are paying record amounts to fill up their cars. The repercussions of the 1987 vote are not only financial. In January, the government forced Italians to turn down their heating systems and urged them to minimise their consumption of natural gas because of a fall in supply from Russia. More than 60% of Italy's imported gas comes from Russia and Algeria while most of its oil comes from another potentially unstable area, the Middle East.

The latest energy crises have prompted the government to reconsider its stance on nuclear power. Industry Minister Claudio Scajola kickstarted the debate last November by proposing the constructing of nuclear power plants. Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has added his voice by saying Italy should start producing its own nuclear energy. There are signs that public opinion is beginning to shift. According to a recent poll published by weekly L'Espresso, 47% of Italians are now in favour of nuclear energy, compared to 40% a year ago.

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