If there is a field in which the excess of competencies (and power) entrusted to the Regions by the current Title V of the Constitution and, prior to it, by an unclear division of competencies and responsibilities, has clearly manifested its limits and product damage measurable in tens of billions of euros is that of energy. The power of veto, de facto in the hands of Regions and Local Authorities, has prevented in many cases and delayed for several years in others, projects that are fundamental for the country's energy security and for lowering energy costs.
In the 80s and 90s this mainly translated into the delay in the construction of new energy production poles, at a time when the deficit deriving from the blockage in the construction of nuclear plants following the 1988 referendum and the closure of some of them , had placed our country in a condition of energy weakness, which was overcome only thanks to an agreement with France for the importation of considerable quantities of electricity. Paid dearly.
More recently, the vetoes have mainly aimed at the construction of important energy transport networks, both for electricity and gas. Just a few months ago, for example, after an authorization process that lasted more than 10 years and about 80 different authorizations requested, the new electricity connection between Sicily and Calabria was completed, with a reduction of 600 million euros per year in the cost of the Italian bill. This line alone, if it had been completed on schedule, would have allowed savings of several billion euros.
A similar case was the Matera – Santa Sofia line in the last decade, which began in 1992 and ended only in 2007, with an authorization block of about 10 years. Once completed, it too has greatly improved the North-South connections in the transport of electricity, reducing costs and improving safety. And today, just to give another example, the battle of the Puglia region against the gas pipeline called TAP (Trans Adriatic Pipeline), which will bring additional and substantial quantities of gas to Italy from the Caspian Sea, according to the national project that it wants to do of Italy the gas hub for the whole of Europe
Or the refusal of the Friuli region to build a regasification terminal in the Monfalcone area. Examples there are many more. All related to blocked or severely delayed projects.
What is also generally underestimated is the fact that when there is a strong authorized conflict with Regions and Local Authorities, the consequences are not limited to serious delays, if not blockage, of the projects months in the pipeline.
The situation of conflict that arises produces institutional confusion and continuous conflicts of power. Decisions often pass to the Administrative Courts and to the various levels of the various Judiciaries, with easily understandable consequences.
All this entails additional costs for the promoters, both private and public, burdened by charges for the management of authorizations and judicial-administrative disputes which now reach several percentage points of the total costs of the works.
Therefore, clarifying the matter, reaffirming the clear national interest in guaranteeing the continuity and security of the energy supply, represents a decisive and positive step forward.
Extract from “L'Economia del Sì”, edited by Irene Tinagli. Download here the full document.
