GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy Foundation to Help Italy Pursue Safer Nuclear Energy

GE Hitachi (News - Alert) Nuclear Energy (GEH) has stated that they are going to work together with EnergyLab Foundation to help Italy pursue safer nuclear energy and attain energy security and cleaner energy goals.

 

Under the agreement signed between the companies, GEH will work with EnergyLab to explore opportunities for new nuclear power plants based on GEH’s ABWR and ESBWR designs.

 

At present nuclear energy supplies 16 percent of the world's electricity, avoiding the emission of about 2.5 billion tons of carbon dioxide every year that would otherwise be generated by fossil fuel solutions, such as supercritical pulverized coal.

 

GE Energy has claimed that they supply advanced and sophisticated technology for nuclear energy and together with Hitachi they formed the GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy with goals of providing consistent and higher quality services in areas of research, design, manufacture, construction and maintenance of light-water and fast-breeder reactor equipment and nuclear fuel cycle systems and, hence, contributing to the society.

 

Recently United States and Italian governments signed a bilateral civilian nuclear energy cooperation agreement which allows US energy companies to supply Italy with nuclear reactor technology and services. The Government of Italy on its part recently removed the ban it had placed on domestic nuclear energy production and had ordered for build eight to 10 new nuclear power stations in order to reduce dependence on imported energy sources and meet environmental goals.

 

EnergyLab (“Fondazione EnergyLab”), a Milan-based non-profit organization, has asserted that they are working together with many Italian energy companies, universities and local governments to help solve the country’s energy and environmental challenges. The organization has stated that it aims to disseminate as widely as possible knowledge regarding advanced nuclear technologies to deliver on its mission. Their collaboration with GEH will support this mission, widening access for Italy to a well-experienced nuclear technology, and this will help start the nation’s new nuclear energy program.

 

Danny Roderick, a GEH senior vice president has added that they are looking forward to collaborating with EnergyLab to help ensure that Italy government and energy sector understand how their ABWR and ESBWR technologies can help address the country’s pressing economic and environmental priorities. For Italy and other countries preparing to build new nuclear power plants, it is important to work with companies with experienced global and regional supply chains vital to completing reactor projects on schedule and on budget.