Porto Tolle's former power station: cycling Polesine Camerini island, past and future
Two ideas for the same stretch of the Delta: what they involve, what they promise and what raises concern.
Enel's thermoelectric power station once stood at Polesine Camerini, a village in the municipality of Porto Tolle. What remains today is an area of about 380 hectares, almost entirely demolished, with its 250-metre chimney still standing. The site lies within the Veneto Regional Park of the Po Delta, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Two very different proposals are on the table for its future.
The Polesine Camerini island bike loop
The best way to understand what this is all about is to go and see it. Polesine Camerini island, between the Po di Venezia and the Po delle Tolle, can be explored on a loop of about 27 km, fully paved and completely flat, along quiet lanes and embankments with very little traffic. Start from the square in front of Polesine Camerini church and follow the Po delle Tolle embankment, ideally clockwise, until you are back where you began.
What you will see along the way
- the Po delle Tolle embankment and the Po di Venezia, the river's main branch;
- the Sacca del Canarin, with salt marshes, lagoons and plenty of birds;
- the site of the former Enel power station and its 250-metre chimney, a landmark visible across the whole Delta;
- the Boscolo pumping station;
- the Volta Vaccari nature reserve.
Practical tips: a city bike is fine; the only real challenge is the wind. The ride works all year round, best avoiding the coldest and hottest days. There are bars and places to eat in Polesine Camerini. Bikes can be hired in Porto Tolle from Marino Cacciatori (tel. +39 0426 380314, [marinocacciatori.it](https://www.marinocacciatori.it)).
From Polesine Camerini to Scano Boa by boat
From the island you can carry on to Scano Boa, the sand spit with the last reed huts of the fishermen, on Marino Cacciatori's boat trip. It departs from the Rifugio Canarin area at Polesine Camerini and lasts about two and a half hours through channels, lagoons and reed beds, at weekends and on public holidays. Please check times and prices directly with the organiser.
Scano Boa: the boat trip to the fishermen's huts
Delta Farm, Human Company's holiday village
In 2019 Enel, through its Futur-e programme for converting decommissioned power plants, selected by competition the project of Human Company, an Italian group running open-air villages and campsites.
The project: an open-air village on about 110–117 hectares (30 of them woodland), 2,200 pitches for campervans, caravans and tents, a water sports hub, a visitor centre on the Delta's environment and a space for local fish and farm produce.
The announced figures: about 400 jobs once fully operational; a total investment of around €100 million (35 from Enel for demolition, 3.5 from Human Company for the purchase, about 60 for the village).
Where things stand: demolition is complete and only the chimney remains. The opening, first planned for 2023 and then for 2025, has not yet happened; according to the local press, the area's future also depends on the cost of the clean-up.
- Pros: consistent with the Park and the UNESCO Biosphere; open-air tourism that showcases nature; spin-off business for fishing, farming and restaurants; the site returned to visitors.
- Cons and doubts: timelines that have already slipped several times; work that is largely seasonal; more summer traffic on Delta roads; dependence on a clean-up and private investment yet to begin.
The nuclear option
The background: on 23 September 2026 Parliament approved the enabling law on Italy's return to nuclear power. The Government has 12 months, extendable by 24, to issue the implementing decrees; "sustainable" nuclear power is expected around 2040. There is currently no official project for Porto Tolle.
The proposal: the "Nucleare e Ragione" committee, made up of academics and technical experts, points to the former power station as a suitable site and believes the consent of about 70% of the local population would be needed.
The positions: the mayor of Mesola is in favour; the mayors of Comacchio and Goro are cautious and want to see the project first; Legambiente Adria and the Democratic Party (PD) in Comacchio are against; a councillor has asked Porto Tolle council to state an official position.
The waste: it would go to a separate National Repository of about 150 hectares, whose location has not yet been chosen.
- Pros according to supporters: skilled, long-term jobs and business generated by construction; energy independence and low CO₂ emissions; reuse of a site that is already industrial.
- Cons and doubts according to opponents: long timelines (not before 2040); land subsidence, coastal erosion and saltwater intrusion; a site in a protected area and Biosphere Reserve; concerns about safety, waste and costs; uncertain public acceptance.
The two projects compared
| Aspect | Delta Farm | Nuclear |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Project selected, village construction yet to start | Hypothesis, no project |
| Timeline | Already delayed several times | Not before around 2040 |
| Jobs | About 400, partly seasonal | Skilled and permanent, no estimates available |
| Environment | Consistent with the Park | To be assessed in a protected area |
| Main sticking point | Clean-up and investment | National decrees, consent, safety |
The public debate
Saturday 7 November 2026, 10 am, Sala della Musica in Porto Tolle (via U. Giordano): a free public meeting under the patronage of the municipality, organised by the "Nucleare e Ragione" committee. Speakers include two professors from the Politecnico di Milano, an architect, and the mayor of Porto Tolle, who is also president of the Park. Limited seats, registration required.
Stay here, eat here
Albergo Italia, Alloggi Centrale and RistòItalia are open all year round in the centre of Porto Tolle: a convenient base for the Polesine Camerini loop and the boat trip to Scano Boa.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
- Is there a nuclear power plant project in Porto Tolle?
- No. For now there is only a committee's proposal. The choice of sites will depend on the implementing decrees of the nuclear law.
- Will the Delta Farm holiday village be built?
- The project exists and was selected by Enel, but construction of the village has not started; the timeline also depends on the clean-up.
- Where is the former power station?
- At Polesine Camerini, in the municipality of Porto Tolle, inside the Po Delta Regional Park.
- Can you visit the former power station site by bike?
- Yes. The roughly 27 km loop around Polesine Camerini island runs past the former power station site and its chimney; the route is paved and flat.
- How do you get to Scano Boa from Polesine Camerini?
- On Marino Cacciatori's boat trip, which departs from the Rifugio Canarin area and lasts about two and a half hours.
