Hydroelectric heritage in Southern Italy: lake Nitti and the Muro Lucano hydroelectric plant. A case study

The chapter explores the double fragility of Southern Italy’s hydroelectric heritage using the Muro Lucano Hydroelectric Plant and Lake Nitti as a case study. From the start of the 20th century, through Francesco Nitti's advocacy for nationalizing water resources and Angelo Omodeo’s analysis of the hydrogeological challenges of the water landscape in the Mezzogiorno, this contribution highlights the peculiar condition of hydropower infrastructure in Muro Lucano, through the lens of Nitti's Special Law for Basilicata and the post-World War II hydroelectric power decline due to technological shifts and the Vajont tragedy. The chapter datails the Muro Lucano Dam case study construction challenges, decline, and socio-economic impact, and it concludes advocating for its protection and integration into regional development.