The city most “beaten” by high bills (see table below) is Alexandria, where expenses for electricity, gas and diesel fly by 88.6% compared to January 2022. The silver and bronze medal goes to two other cities in Piedmont: Vercelli, with +87.1%; and Biella, with +86.1%. It is the sad podium of the complete ranking of the cities with the greatest annual increases (as regards electricity and gas) drawn up by the National Consumer Union, processing the Istat data relating to the month of January 2023. According to Unc, Perugia is just outside the podium ( +85.8%), Novara (+85.7%), Terni (+84.5%) and Cuneo (+85.3%), while Imperia (+85%) is in eighth place. followed by Turin (+84.4%). Closing the top ten is Genoa, which records a +82.6%.
The ranking of the most virtuous cities
The ranking of the least harassed cities, on the other hand, sees Potenza in first place, which marks “only” +35.2%. In second place is Aosta with +50.8%. On the lowest step of the podium of the virtuous cities Olbia-Tempio with +51%. Then follow Naples (+51.4%), Gorizia (+51.7%), Benevento (+53.1%), in seventh place Caserta (+53.5%), then Avellino (+53.7%) and Trieste (+54.6%). Pordenone and Udine close the top ten, ex aequo with +54.7%.
Free market light: +248.3%
At a national level, the survey by the National Consumer Union compares the change in electricity and gas prices over the last 3 years, between the free and protected markets. From June 2021 (i.e. before the price increases starting from July) to January 2023, the light of the free market in Italy rose by 248.3% (see table below) against 108.4% of the protected market, more than the double (+129%), while considering the first useful data for gas detected by Istat, December 2021, since then free gas has increased by 141.1% against a 7.4% drop in protected gas. In 3 years, from January 2020 to January 2023, the light of the free leapt by 262.8%, against the +115.8% of the protected one.
“Removing the free market is a shame”
Analyzing the trend of the Istat indices, translated with line graphs (graphs no. 1 and 2), it is evident that after a similar trend or with increases in protected gas greater than the free one, in the course of 2022 (from August for gas and from May for light) the situation has reversed and the price of the free market has literally exploded. “In this context, removing the protected market, which for electricity in the common areas of condominiums expires on 1 April 2023, practically in a month, is a real shame! A gift to free sellers and an expropriation for the pockets of families. We wonder what the government is waiting for to wake up and remedy the injustice of discriminating against those who live in a condominium from those who live in a villa, for which the deadline remains January 10, 2024”, says Massimiliano Dona, president of the National Consumer Union.
Sting per family of 907.50 euros
For electricity, gas and other fuels, an item that includes gas, electricity (free and protected market), diesel for heating and solid fuels, if in Italy the increase in January was equal to 67.3% compared to a year earlier , with a sting per family equal to an average of 907.50 euros on an annual basis, in some cities it was close to 90 percent.
