Unfinished decomissioning: the fuel cycle sites among ambitions, operational constraints and environmental impasse

Abstract

In the aftermath of World War II, Italy undertook a determined effort to develop nuclear energy as a driver of industrial growth, promoted through both private (Cise, 1946) and public (Cnrn, 1952) initiatives. Despite an initially promising trajectory, the national nuclear program was hindered by inconsistent choices. The 1987 referendum marked the formal discontinuation of nuclear power in Italy, which occurred in the absence of a coherent national strategy for decommissioning, thereby transferring the operational and decision-making burden to technical bodies. During the 1990s, an early decommissioning approach was adopted; however, its implementation was significantly delayed due to inadequate infrastructure and a complex regulatory environment. Case studies such as Saluggia, Trisaia, and Bosco Marengo illustrate the interplay between institutional fragmentation, technical constraints, and socio-political resistance at the local level. A structured national decommissioning framework was only introduced in 1999 with the publication of the governmental White Paper, although its practical enforcement has remained fraught with critical challenges.