Nuclear Power Expo: A Catalyst for National Collaboration

The inaugural Nuclear Power Expo, scheduled for May 21-23, 2025, at Piacenza Expo, aims to unite Italian companies at the forefront of the global nuclear sector. Organized by MediaPoint & Exhibitions, the event seeks to consolidate a competitive domestic supply chain and promote a cohesive national nuclear plan. [[1]], [[2]], [[3]]

Fabio Potestà, director of MediaPoint & Exhibitions, envisions the Expo as a “concrete platform of meeting, comparison, and advancement” for the Italian nuclear sector. He emphasizes the need to enhance and coordinate Italy’s existing industrial and scientific capabilities to address future energy challenges and define a national nuclear strategy that encourages investment,innovation,and skilled employment.

A Pivotal Moment for Nuclear energy in Italy

The Nuclear power expo arrives at a crucial juncture, with numerous European nations investing in new nuclear power plants and upgrading existing facilities.After years of debate, Italy is also reconsidering civil nuclear energy, driven by advancements in safety and the pressing need to achieve climate neutrality by 2050.

Gian Luca Artizzu, CEO of Sogin, asserts that “to support industrial competitiveness, the safety and social development of the country, Italy must have adequate tools and infrastructures.” He advocates for integrating renewables with nuclear power, highlighting nuclear’s capacity to provide a stable, safe, and continuous energy supply with zero carbon emissions.

To support industrial competitiveness, the safety and social development of the country – declares Gian Luca Artizzu, CEO of Sogin – Italy must have adequate tools and infrastructures for the importance of the challenges that await it.See the renewables supported by nuclear power, which provides energy in a stable, safe and continuous way, and is devoid of climbing and polluting emissions. nuclear
Gian Luca artizzu, CEO of Sogin

Nuclear as a Stabilizing Force in the Energy Transition

Giorgio Graditi, general manager of Enea, emphasizes nuclear energy’s reliability and programmability, positioning it as a “systemic stabilizer” that complements renewable sources. he believes nuclear power can guarantee low-cost energy for businesses, contributing to decarbonization goals, reducing energy costs and emissions, and revitalizing a vital national industrial chain.

Nuclear energy is a reliable and programmable source, it can act as a ‘systemic stabilizer’, play a complementary role to that of renewable sources and guarantee low cost energy to our businesses…represents, therefore, a fundamental option for the objectives of decarbonization and can help reduce energy costs, the emissions of climbing and, at the same time, at the same time. relaunching and competitive development of a national industrial chain which is already of absolute importance.
Giorgio Graditi, general manager of Enea

Challenges and Opportunities for the Italian Nuclear Supply Chain

Despite the potential, establishing a robust Italian nuclear supply chain remains a challenge. Stefano Monti, president of the Italian Nuclear Association (AIN), notes that while many Italian companies are active in nuclear projects abroad, a coordinated national effort is essential.

Monti stresses the need to organize for both short-term projects abroad and future domestic initiatives, emphasizing that Italy already possesses an internationally recognized nuclear sector. He calls for creating the necessary conditions to support a nuclear program.

many Italian companies are especially active in nuclear projects abroad. But talking about an Italian supply chain, presupposes coordination among all the subjects, especially when we are in the presence of a national nuclear program…We do not start from scratch, but from an Italian nuclear sector already appreciated internationally. We must organize ourselves for short -term creations abroad and prepare for those in Italy, when we have a defined and mature program…put in place all the actions necessary to prepare the conditions and then have an industrial supply chain ready to support our nuclear program.
Stefano Monti, president of the Italian Nuclear Association (AIN)

Industry Support and Technological Innovation

Paolo Fedeli, president of the Italian Association of Pressure Equipment (AIPE), representing approximately 200 manufacturing companies, highlights the Italian nuclear supply chain’s industrial and technological excellence. He believes that the renewed debate on civil nuclear energy,coupled with advancements like Small Modular Reactors (SMR) and Advanced Modular reactors (AMR),can translate into a long-term industrial and energy strategy.

The Italian nuclear supply chain represents an industrial and technological excellence which, despite a long period of discontinuity, has never stopped innovating, exporting and contributing to international projects of absolute importance. Concrete for our country: the debate on the return to civil nuclear energy, also thanks to new technologies such as new generation modular reactors (Small Modular Reactors SMR and Advanced Modular Reactor Amr) and the merger, can finally translate into an industrial strategy and long -term energy policy.
Paolo Fedeli, president of the italian Association of Pressure equipment (AIPE)

Italian Manufacturing Prowess

Professor Marco Ricotti, president of the Interuniversity Consortium for Nuclear Technological Research (CIRTEN), emphasizes the capabilities of Italian research and manufacturing. A recent study by the Politecnico di Milan indicates that the Italian nuclear manufacturing chain could produce more than eight pressure containers annually, which are critical components of SMRs.

As emerged from a recent study of the Politecnico di Milan, the Italian nuclear manufacturing chain would be able to create more than eight pressure containers (the largest and most complex components of the SMRs) per year.
Professor Marco Ricotti, president of the Interuniversity Consortium for Nuclear Technological Research (CIRTEN)

Women in Nuclear Italy: Promoting Dialogue and Growth

Céline Conoreu, president of Women in Nuclear Italy, expresses enthusiasm for the Nuclear Power Expo, viewing it as an opportunity to foster dialogue between institutions, businesses, and the public regarding nuclear energy’s role in Italy’s energy transition. She emphasizes that Italian nuclear energy represents not only an energy choice but also a chance for industrial, economic, technological, and employment growth.

Like Women in Nuclear italy, we are eager to participate in Nuclear Power Expo, an significant opportunity to promote the dialogue between institutions, businesses and citizenship on the role of nuclear in the country’s energy transition. italian nuclear is not only an energy choice, but also a concrete opportunity for industrial, economic, technological and employment growth.
Céline Conoreu, president of Women in Nuclear Italy

Investing in the Next Generation of Nuclear Professionals

UNAU highlights Italy’s academic excellence and research centers, which train numerous young professionals in engineering, physics, and nuclear technology. They stress the importance of creating opportunities for these professionals to contribute to a safe, innovative, and low-emission energy sector in Italy.

Our country boasts academic excellence and research centers that form hundreds of young people,men and women every year,with very high level skills in the fields of engineering,physics and nuclear technology…it is indeed essential to create the conditions for these professionals to find concrete space and prospects also in Italy, actively contributing to the construction of a safe, innovative and low emissions.
UNAU

Co-located Events and Institutional Support

Nuclear Power Expo will be held alongside Hydrogen-Expo and Cybsec-Expo, focusing on energy and computer security, respectively. The three events have garnered significant institutional support from organizations such as the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Safety, the Emilia-Romagna Region, the Municipality of Piacenza, the Conference of Regions and autonomous provinces, the National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and sustainable Economic Development (Enea), and the Sogin Group.

Networking Opportunities

A gala dinner will be held on May 22 in the Arazzi room of the Alberoni Gallery in Piacenza, providing participants with a networking opportunity in a prestigious ancient and cultural setting.