No extension to the protected energy market. The Minister of Energy, Pichetto Fratin, explained this in an interview with Affaritaliani.it. “We never asked the European Union for an extension – he said – there is a commitment as a country to complete the competitions by January 10, 2024 and an evaluation of a complete information system for users”. «On January 10, 2024 he continued – the race will be completed and then there are all the technical times and then we arrive in April. But this is not a regulatory extension, we just want complete information for users in order to make them fully aware of the transition.” However, the minister assured families that the transition will not involve bloodshed and above all will not happen suddenly: «It will continue to be a liberalized market with gradual protections. The end customer is not forced to immediately subscribe to a free market offering.”
«If you do not do so – continued Pichetto Fratin – the supply will automatically pass, without any interruption, to the Gradual Protection Service (Stg). In this Service, the contractual and economic conditions will be defined by the Area also based on the results of the competitive procedures. The end of the gradual protection service will only happen in three years and from that moment on there will be the possibility for everyone to move freely in the market”. Finally, when asked if Italy is calm in terms of gas supplies this winter, Pichetto commented: «I would say yes. In other years there have been some problems, but this year we are calm about gas for the winter.”
The leader of the group in the Chamber of Forza Italia, Paolo Barelli, is also confident: «Arera states that today the protected market would be a worse option than the free market. Competition drives down prices. Forza Italia doesn’t say it and the government doesn’t say it, the technicians say it.” Codacons has a completely opposite opinion: «Italians, for the most part, do not want the end of the protected energy market, which is throwing 15 million families into chaos – around 9 million users for electricity bills and 6 million for electricity bills – which have long remained protected from speculation and enormous price volatility”.
Source: IL Tempo
Emma Fitzgerald is an accomplished political journalist and author at The Nation View. With a background in political science and international relations, she has a deep understanding of the political landscape and the forces that shape it.
