Challenging design objectives and criteria for future nuclear plants in Italy

The National Energy Plan of August 1988, after the public poll of November 1987 and the decision to stop the plants in operation and construction, placed a 5-yr moratorium on construction of new plants and, at the same time, called for the study of new designs that would allow a return of nuclear power in Italy. In this context ENEL, the Italian national utility, has started a broad program of research and development on new reactors with enhanced safety characteristics in an international context. With the approaching end of the 5-yr moratorium, this paper summarizes the work under way and outlines the results that are expected to be included in the reactors that could be built before the end of the century in Italy.