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France's EDF, Italian steel makers to think about joint atomic energy investments

French utility EDF signed an contract with Italian subsidiary Edison, devices firms Ansaldo Energia and Ansaldo Nucleare, and steelmakers industry body Federacciai to consider joint financial investment opportunities in nuclear energy, it stated on Tuesday.

The memorandum of understanding would promote the building and construction of little modular reactors (SMRs) and the transmission of atomic energy in the mid to long term from French reactors to Italy over the coming years, it added.

WHY IT is essential

Numerous European nations are checking out building nuclear reactors in order to satisfy 2050 environment goals.

SMRs, or small reactors that can be hosted at specific sites, are being developed to use less costly and more targeted choices for heavy emitters such as steel plants.

EDF recently stated it was switching to using existing innovations for the style of its SMRs rather than continuing to establish its own to lower expenses and satisfy due dates.

BY THE NUMBERS

The steel industry was accountable for around 5% of carbon emissions in the European Union in 2022, information from the European Commission revealed.

Italy imports about 15-20% of its energy from neighbours, and the development of a nationwide supply chain for the production of new atomic energy will provide the nation with higher independence, the statement on Tuesday pointed out Edison as saying.

KEY QUOTES

We will work to guarantee that this initially essential agreement can set an example for all hard-to-abate industrial sectors: this is the only viable way to fulfill the most ambitious decarbonisation targets, stated Antonio Gozzi, president of Federacciai.

(source: Reuters)