The Bills Bis decree, a weeks-awaited measure that aims to cut electricity rates by introducing a cap on the price of gas used to generate energy, arrives before the Council of Ministers today. The bill has had a bumpy ride, marked by two postponements. The last one, last Thursday, was reportedly prompted by the State Accounting Office's objections to a secondary provision.
At the heart of the decree is a price cap on gas for thermoelectric power plants, set at around €59 per megawatt-hour. The mechanism does not directly affect consumers' final bills, but limits the cost of the fuel used to generate electricity. In Italy, the wholesale price of electricity is closely linked to the price of gas: if the latter falls, so does the cost of electricity on the market and, consequently, the tariff paid by households and businesses.
The difference between the cap and the market price of gas would be reimbursed to producers through a charge on electricity bills. According to the proponents, however, the balance for end users would remain positive. The new system is expected to be implemented starting January 1, 2027.
But how much will savings actually be achieved? Confcommercio estimates a reduction of up to 10% in businesses' electricity bills. This figure, however, must be interpreted in light of the sharp price increases recorded in the third quarter of 2026: +133% for bars, +68% for hotels, and +67% for large retail outlets. The climate think tank Ecco offers a more conservative interpretation, quantifying the average benefit at just €1.40 per month.
Thursday's approval was apparently delayed by the Treasury's objections to Article 9. The provision stipulates that the proceeds from the sale, in 2026, of gas stored in 2022 during the energy crisis will be used by ARERA to reduce the gas bills of energy-intensive companies in 2027. The Treasury has contested the timing misalignment: an inflow in 2026 and an outflow in 2027. The Ministry of Economy and Finance has initiated discussions with the European Commission to find a solution compatible with public finance constraints.
(Unioneonline/E.Fr.)