Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development
Nuclear: ENEA at the Sustainable Technologies Platform Forum
ENEA is among the key participants in the 2026 Sustainable Nuclear Energy Technology Platform (SNEPT) Forum, one of the main international events dedicated to innovation in the civil nuclear sector, scheduled from 25 to 27 March in Madrid. ENEA plays a leading role both within the Governing Board – the platform’s governance body that sets research and innovation strategies for the sector – and as a member of the Technical Secretariat and the Forum’s Organising Committee. In addition, ENEA will chair the technical session “Waste Management and Decommissioning” on 27 March.
“Being part of the SNETP Governing Board represents a natural step for ENEA in its ongoing commitment to actively participate in one of the main European working groups where research and innovation agendas for the nuclear sector are defined,” says Alessandro Dodaro, Director of ENEA’s Nuclear Department, outgoing member and candidate for a second term on the SNETP Governing Board. “At a time when Europe is redefining its energy strategy,” he adds, “it is essential that national research activities contribute directly to shaping common R&I priorities. The Madrid Forum is a concrete opportunity to do so”.
Founded in 2007 and recognised by the European Commission as an ETIP, the platform brings together over 130 organisations from 25 countries, including research centres, universities, industries, nuclear plant operators, SMEs, and technical and safety support bodies. Since 2019, SNEPT has operated as an international non-profit association under Belgian law, with the aim of promoting European cooperation in civil nuclear R&D&I.
“I hope that this Forum will foster a concrete and open dialogue within the European nuclear community, and that the technical sessions—particularly the one on decommissioning and waste management, often perceived as a challenge—will become an opportunity to systematise existing expertise and identify new pathways for collaboration,” says ENEA researcher Giuseppe A. Marzo, member of the SNETP Secretariat and Co-chairman of the Waste Management and Decommissioning session. “I am convinced,” he adds, “that technological innovation in this field can become a key strength for European research”.
This edition of the Forum, titled Advanced Nuclear Technologies and Innovation for a Clean, Affordable and Sovereign European Energy Future, will focus on the main pillars of European nuclear innovation, including: the role of nuclear in the continent’s energy systems and the conditions for Long-Term Operation (LTO) of existing plants; the development of Small and Advanced Modular Reactors (SMRs and AMRs) and the acceleration of licensing procedures; non-electric nuclear applications, from hydrogen production to industrial decarbonisation; new safety technologies, advanced fuels and materials; digitalisation and artificial intelligence applied to plant management.
A dedicated session will address radioactive waste management and decommissioning, with a focus on advanced dismantling technologies, robotics, remote handling, waste volume reduction and long-term storage solutions, as well as youth engagement and cooperation with international scientific networks.
Programme and information: snetp.eu/events/snetp-forum
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