Basilicata will be the first southern region to spend European money on energy. The 2014-2020 plan on intelligent distribution networks is the container chosen by the smallest southern region to expand new systems towards households and businesses. The latter are preparing themselves in view of the deadline of next September 15th. By that date, applications for all future smart grids must arrive in Potenza and the projects will start immediately afterwards.
We are promoting innovation with the adoption of advanced energy management systems from renewable sources – explained Francesco Pietrantuono, Councilor for the Environment and Energy. Despite recent legal proceedings involving the governor Marcello Pittella, the council has approved the notice for new systems based on the integration of Information Communication Technology platforms. They will mainly be used to monitor consumption and energy storage systems, which have already been favored by previous European plans. Basilicata thus confirms itself among the most virtuous Regions for the use of Community funds. It is first in various rankings for quality and quantity of environmental works.
We will soon be voting here and the good use of European funds is at the center of the political confrontation which fortunately does not question Italy's permanence in the EU. On the other hand, the two Pittella brothers – Gianni, a long-term European parliamentarian and Marcello, President of the Region – have worked hard in this direction. The interventions of the companies benefiting from the new tender, however, will have to increase the so-called widespread hosting capacity. There are, in fact, structural weaknesses to overcome, those that often do not fascinate investors. The fresh 10 million euros, according to Petrantuno, will help overcome significant critical issues in access to electricity. Both in the Province of Potenza and in that of Matera there are congestions, bottlenecks, network losses, disservices in the interconnections. Businesses are paying the price, in favor of which the Region is creating conditions of new attractiveness after the mega-investments by Fiat, Eni, Shell in the 80s in Melfi and in Val Basento.
With Brussels, the Region was clear. The types of eligible projects will concern the creation of smart grids and the creation of digital communication systems, measurement and remote control of consumption. The amount of aid per project and per company cannot be less than 1 million euros, as also envisaged by a MISE Decree of March 2017, dedicated precisely to the new intelligent electricity grids in less developed regions. A fundamental requirement to obtain the funds is to be a company that owns distribution networks. In a month we will know the competitors who, after all, are going to invest in the South.
