The Italian parliament has backed the government’s plan to include nuclear in the country’s energy mix as part of its decarbonisation efforts after the country abandoned its nuclear programme nearly four decades ago.

“We will now discuss with our European partners and evaluate, with the utmost attention, how to include it in the national energy mix of the next decades with the aim of achieving, also with the help of nuclear power, the decarbonisation objectives set by the European Union,” the energy ministry said in a statement following the parliament’s approval.

The motion calls on the country’s centre-right ruling coalition, led by prime minister Giorgia Meloni, to examine nuclear as part of the national energy mix.

It says Italy could have a nuclear capacity of 35 GW from seven plants by 2050.