In the third quarter of 2021, the electricity bill will increase by 9,9% e that of gas by 15,3%. The increases, referring to the average Italian family, were announced Thursday by the Regulatory Authority for Energy, Networks and the Environment.
"Also for Italy - writes Arera - the sharp increase in the prices of raw materials, which have been growing continuously since the beginning of the year due to the recovery of the economies after the declines due to the pandemic, as well as the marked growth in the prices of CO2 emission permits, would have led to an increase of about 20% of the electricity bill, if the Government had not intervened with an emergency provision to reduce the need to collect general charges in the bill for the next quarter".
With the work and business decree approved by the Council of Ministers on Tuesday, the Government has planned to allocate 1,2 billion euros to the reduction of general system costs for the next quarter, "using for this purpose part of the proceeds from the auctions of the European market for CO2 emission permits (ETS2) - continues Arera - The Authority, using the regulatory levers, consequently reduced the general charges for the July-September quarter, implementing a sharp reduction in the general charges relating to energy support renewables (ASos), as well as a further reduction of the remaining general charges (Arim), in particular those for the promotion of energy efficiency, as an effect of the recent decree on the subject of white certificates”.
“As part of loyal institutional collaboration, we have technically supported the Government's decision to intervene – explains the president of the Authority, Stefano Besseghini – Without the decree, the increase in bills would have been much heavier. Taking into account the international trend towards the increase in the prices of raw materials and the European choices on the limitation of greenhouse gases, it appears even more important to consolidate the use of the proceeds from the auctions of CO2 emission permits to contain bills”.
According to the calculations of the economic analysis company Althesys, the increases in electricity and gas will lead to an inflation rate of 1,7% in the next quarter, a figure that could push the increase in the cost of living in 2021 towards the threshold of 2%.
