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Italy says no to nuclear

Posted on behalf of Alison Abbott

A post-Chernobyl referendum in 1987 voted to close down nuclear power stations in Italy – but last year the Italian government decided to re-introduce nuclear energy. Now, post-Fukushima, a referendum on 12 and 13 June has voted overwhelmingly to keep Italy nuclear-free.

Without home-grown nuclear, Italy is noted for its high dependence on imported electricity, which amounted to 14% of electricity demand in 2009, according to Italian utility company Terna. The country has a poor track record on research into renewable energy sources, and no plans have yet been announced to increase research investment.

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