For Italian service companies, electricity is increasingly expensive. Not only has the bill-cutting rule not yet produced effects, but the Russian-Ukrainian crisis risks causing further increases in bills. This was stated by Confcommercio in a note, specifying that the tertiary electricity cost index (ICET) recorded an increase of 3,9% for the fourth quarter compared to the previous three months and of 2,5% on an annual basis. The indicator by the merchants' association was recalculated after the last update of the economic conditions of greater protection approved by the Authority for electricity, gas and water services.
The Icet thus marks a new record, settling at 135,64 points, against 130,55 in the third quarter. The causes of the increase include the 6,7% rise in the wholesale prices of energy raw materials measured by the single national price index for the tertiary sector (Pun Terziario).
The increase is also due "to the impact that the crisis between Russia and Ukraine is having on gas-fired thermoelectric plants and which, especially in view of the winter, could lead to further increases in prices", writes Confcommercio.
The bill-cutting rule, which became operational in August with the entry into force of the law that converted the competitiveness decree, "has still remained a dead letter - continues the association - with the risk that this operation will not fully exert its effects either at the end of the year". The Ministry of Development approved just last week the implementing decrees on the revision of the incentives for renewables which could produce the first effects by the end of the year.
The greatest concern, however, is the continuous rise in system costs, which "go up by 2,7% compared to the previous quarter for an overall +11,9% on an annual basis - concludes Confcommercio -. This further increase brings the incidence of taxation on the total cost incurred to 53,6% of which 30,6% to be attributed to system charges”.
As for the various economic activities, the annual expenditure for the "Hotel" profile rose to 61.270 euros, 2.391 euros more than in the third quarter of 2014, that for the "Restaurant" profile to 9.185 euros (+322 euros), that for the "Bar" at 5.499 euros (+186 euros), that for the "Food detail" profile at 18.273 euros (+695 euros), and finally that of the "Non-food detail" profile at 4.721 euros (+178 euros).
