SOGIN

SOGIN ('''', the Nuclear Plant Management Company, which is also called Sogin) is an Italian state-owned enterprise responsible for nuclear decommissioning as well as management and disposal of radioactive waste produced by industrial, research and medical processes. Founded in 1999 following the 1987 Italian referendums on nuclear power, SOGIN was originally part of state owned ENEL but became independent, but still government owned, in 2000. The company initially took over the Caorso, Enrico Fermi, Garigliano and Latina nuclear power plants, later adding other sites including ENEA's EUREX. The company has commenced the decommissioning of all the plants and is predicted to complete the work in 2036. The company has been involved in environmental remediation, radioactive waste management and nuclear safety work in Armenia, Bulgaria, China, Czech Republic, France, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Romania, Russia, Slovakia and Ukraine. SOGIN also undertakes other decontamination work and in 2005 started to help to decommission nuclear submarines of the Russian Navy.

==History== Following the 1987 referendums on nuclear power, the Italian government was required to decommission the country's remaining nuclear plants. SOGIN was conceived as the company to undertake this work. SOGIN was created on 1 November 1999 and took ownership of the closed Caorso, Enrico Fermi, Garigliano, Latina nuclear power plants from the state-owned electricity company, ENEL. Initially, SOGIN was created as a part of the ENEL group, but, following the passing of Legislative Decree no. 79, the so-called Bersani decree of 16 March 1999, which marked the beginning of the liberalization of the Italian electricity sector, it was decided to split the group. On 3 November 2000, the SOGIN shares were transferred to the Ministry of Economy and Finance. In 2003, SOGIN also took responsibility decommissioning ENEA sites like EUREX, the OPEC research reactors in Cesano, and the ITREC plant in Rotondella.