Källor: Italien för samtal om att bygga ny kärnkraft

En småskalig modulär reaktor (SMR) är en kärnreaktor som är mindre än konventionella kärnreaktorer och har en elektrisk effekt på upp till 300 MWe eller en termisk effekt på upp till 1000 MWth, och är modulärt uppbyggd i den meningen att den kan serietillverkas i fabrik och transporteras dit den ska användas utan modifikationer. Det har funnits många små reaktorer tidigare, men de har inte varit modulära. Termen SMR avser endast storlek, kapacitet och moduluppbyggnad, inte reaktortyp eller nukleär process.

Nuclear power in Italy is a controversial topic. Italy started to produce nuclear energy in the early 1960s, but all plants were closed by 1990 following the 1987 referendum. As of 2023, Italy is one of only three countries, along with Lithuania and Germany, that completely phased out nuclear power for electricity generation after having operational reactors. An attempt to change the decision was made in 2008 by the government (see also nuclear power debate), which called the nuclear power phase-out a "terrible mistake, the cost of which totalled over €50 billion". Minister of Economic Development Claudio Scajola proposed to build as many as 10 new reactors, with the goal of increasing the nuclear share of Italy's electricity supply to about 25% by 2030. However, following the 2011 Japanese nuclear accidents, the Italian government put a one-year moratorium on plans to revive nuclear power. On 11–12 June 2011, Italian voters passed a referendum to cancel plans for new reactors. Over 94% of the electorate voted in favor of the construction ban, with 55% of the eligible voters participating, making the vote binding.