Enel ready to assess nuclear power plant in Albania if governments reach accord

MILAN, June 3 – Enel SpA. has expressed interest in evaluating the feasibility of building a nuclear power plant in Albania if the Albanian and Italian governments first reach a cooperative agreement, an Enel official said.
“If an understanding is reached between the two governments, we would then evaluate such a project,” the official said.
He added, however, that Enel has, to date, had no contacts with Albania on the nuclear power issue.
“We were in Albania in December when we signed a memorandum of understanding over a coal project, but nothing was said about nuclear power,” the official said.
Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha has said his country is ready to reach an agreement with Italy to build nuclear power plants in Albania to convert the country into an energy source in the region.
Italy’s Economy Minister Giulio Tremonti has previously said Italy should seek to build nuclear plants in neighboring countries facing the Adriatic Sea, such as Albania or Montenegro.
The new centre-right government of Silvio Berlusconi has called for the reintroduction in Italy of nuclear power production, which was banned after a referendum in 1987.