Nuclear in Italy, the newco of Enel, Ansaldo and Leonardo is born: Nuclitalia

Enel, Ansaldo Energia and Leonardo have created Nuclitalia , a new three-headed creature that promises to reshuffle the cards of Italian nuclear power. Born yesterday, May 14, 2025, the company will be responsible for exploring the market of new generation technologies, with a particular eye on Small Modular Reactors (SMR) , those compact reactors that are so popular because they seem to combine safety, efficiency and flexibility.

The project comes on the scene just as the country dusts off the atom with calculated caution, considering it a potential ally of renewables in the difficult balance between decarbonization and sustainable bills.

Nuclitalia: who are the founding members and how is the new company composed?

Nuclitalianasce as a joint venture in the form of an Srl The shares are held 51% by Enel , 39% by Ansaldo Energia and 10% by Leonardo . The partnership was born last February , and all three groups are owned by the State through the Ministry of Economy and Finance, which makes the operation a collaboration between publicly controlled companies. Based on Consob regulations on related parties, Enel has classified the initiative as a transaction of "minor relevance", meaning without significant impact on its accounts, such as not to require a complex authorization process.

Leonardo, for its part, was able to apply the “small amount” clause, a regulatory concession that allowed it to bypass ordinary procedures precisely because its share, equal to 10%, does not represent a significant item in the overall budget.

Small Modular Reactor: New Nuclear Technology at the Center

Nuclitalia's primary objective is the analysis of advanced nuclear technologies , with particular attention to water-cooled SMRs , one of the most promising solutions in terms of safety, flexibility and integration with the electrical system.

The mandate of the new company includes the evaluation of the most mature designs , the definition of the requirements for the country system and an in-depth technical-economic analysis . Opportunities for industrial partnerships and co-design projects will also be examined, with a focus on environmental sustainability, efficiency and the valorization of Italian skills.

Enel, Ansaldo and Leonardo: roles and objectives of the three industrial groups

The stake in Nuclitalia allows the three partners to integrate their skills in a high-tech sector. Enel aims to strengthen its commitment to the energy transition and the search for low-carbon solutions , also in continuity with nuclear activities abroad. Ansaldo Energia, through its subsidiary Ansaldo Nucleare, brings historical experience in plant engineering and reactor design.

Leonardo , although with a minority stake, offers strategic know-how in safety, control and project management systems, considered crucial for nuclear projects.

Governance: Ferruccio Resta President, Mastrantonio New CEO

The new company is led by a seven-member Board of Directors. The presidency has been assigned to Ferruccio Resta , former rector of the Polytechnic University of Milan, while Luca Mastrantonio , head of Enel's Nuclear Innovation unit, has been appointed CEO .

The board is completed by five other managers chosen from among the partners for their technical skills and industry experience. A technical committee is also planned to support the analysis of emerging technologies, contributing to strategic choices.

Why Nuclitalia is strategic for Italian energy and industry

Nuclitalia enters the national energy mosaic with a measured step and well-defined intentions. While in Rome they are talking about nuclear power again with less ideological tones, the new company is preparing to become a sort of operations center where the public, research and industry can finally talk without exchanging only good intentions. The prospect of agreements with names like Edf or Westinghouse is no longer a conference suggestion, but a card that the government could play in the new European energy risk.

What changes for nuclear in Italy after the 2025 law

The establishment of Nuclitalia comes a few months after the adoption of the enabling law on new nuclear power , approved in February 2025, which marked a change of pace in national energy policy.

The law opens the way to the experimentation and implementation of advanced modular reactors , overcoming the ban introduced with the 1987 referendum. With this regulatory framework, Italy is preparing to evaluate the reintroduction of nuclear energy at a national level, and Nuclitalia will be the body responsible for directing studies, evaluations and potential industrial developments.