Framatome Opens a Branch in Italy

On 8 November 2024, Framatome announced the establishment of a branch in Italy, enabling Italian engineers to “support the existing nuclear fleet and contribute to the development of nuclear energy in Europe from their home country.”

Italy once had four nuclear reactors spread across as many sites before abandoning nuclear energy following the Chernobyl disaster in 1986. In a challenging energy context, with gas accounting for 45% of electricity production in 2023, the Italian government is exploring a nuclear comeback, which could represent between 10% and 20% of electricity consumption, according to the Minister of Environment and Energy Security.[1] Beyond producing low-carbon electricity for Italy, the goal is also to participate in European nuclear projects. [See the international focus on Italy]

In this context, the French industrial giant announced[2] the opening of new offices in Milan and Turin, with Bernard Fontana, CEO of Framatome, stating, “Framatome has been hiring talented Italian engineers in France for over 40 years. This branch offers engineers the opportunity to stay in Italy while contributing to the development of a low-carbon energy source.”

Italy: A Talent Pool for French and European Nuclear Energy

The creation of this branch follows a cooperation agreement[3] signed in July between Framatome, Edison, and Politecnico di Milano for scientific and technological research and training in the field of nuclear energy. Despite abandoning nuclear power in the late 1980s, Italy has maintained its nuclear education programmes. “Politecnico di Milano is a prestigious university that promotes academic excellence in both training and research in nuclear engineering,” stated Élisabeth Terrail, Senior Executive Vice President of Human Resources at Framatome and former President of the Nuclear Industry University (2020–2022), in July. These programmes are thriving, according to Marco Ricotti, Professor of Nuclear Engineering at Politecnico di Milano:

“The Politecnico di Milano, the first Italian university to engage in teaching and research in the nuclear sector since the 1950s, continues to strengthen its historic role and appeal. It has tripled enrolments in this field over the past five years, attracting both new generations and industrial players committed to evaluating and developing new nuclear technologies. These technologies are essential for addressing energy challenges in terms of environmental sustainability, strategic security, and socio-economic impact.”■