Defence company Leonardo (LDOF.MI), opens new tab, utility Enel (ENEI.MI), opens new tab and power generation supplier Ansaldo Energia have reached a deal to create a new company to study the use of nuclear power, Italy's Energy Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin said on Thursday.

Addressing a conference in Milan, Pichetto said Enel would contribute with its expertise in managing nuclear power stations in Spain, while Leonardo could explore the use of nuclear energy in the military sector. "During its first phase, the new company will focus on a feasibility study to choose the best technology for nuclear energy," Luca Mastrantonio, Enel's head of nuclear innovation, said.