In a further sign that Italy is serious about a return to nuclear power after shutting down its last commercial reactor in 1990, energy company Edison has said it is aiming to restart producing nuclear energy by 2040.

In its strategy plan, the Italian subsidiary of France’s state power company and nuclear operator EDF said in the long term, it hopes that Italy will lift its ban on nuclear energy, allowing it to set up two power stations using small modular reactor (SMR) technology.

“The new nuclear and the carbon capture technologies will help us meet the target of a complete decarbonisation of our business by 2050,” Edison chief executive officer Nicola Monti said during a presentation in Milan.