MILAN (Thomson Financial) - A2A SpA management board chairman Giuliano
Zuccoli said Italy should build three or four nuclear power stations over the
next 30 years with 10,000 megawatts of capacity at a total cost of 20 billion
euros.
In an interview in Corriere della Sera, Zuccoli reiterated his belief in the
reintroduction of nuclear power in Italy and this could be done by A2A, its
affiliates Edison SpA, Enel SpA, and E.ON's Italian unit.
The investment could be made by "a consortium of producers, and why not, by
big consumers, making use of the Swiss and Finnish experience", he said.
The amount of nuclear production would be limited to a quarter of Italy's
overall needs, which would overcome competition concerns by producers forming a
consortium, he said.
In addition, working together in this way would keep nuclear investments
under control, with a plant costing 20 percent less than if a major producer did
the whole project on its own, he said.
The consortium members would each take a share of the nuclear production at
cost price in order to sell on the market, he said.
The cost of nuclear power would be 40 euros per megawatt hour, against the
80 for a traditional power source, he said, adding he does not see the price of
gas fuel falling.
Zuccoli said a study on nuclear power is being conducted by the Energy Lab
foundation, in which A2A, Edison, the Lombardy region and five Milan
universities are involved.
The study will "suggest the procedure, the quantity of energy to produce,
the sites, and the management model. It will be ready in three to five months
and we will give it to the government," he said.
Launching nuclear power stations will take five to six years to prepare and
authorise before construction starts, which would take four to five years, he
said.
Centre right politicians in the election, which finishes today, have
expressed strong support for nuclear power.
nigel.tutt@thomson.com
nt/wj
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