From October 1st to December 31st, bill rates are expected to increase 15.6% for electricity and 11.4% for natural gas. A record increase that would be caused by the end of lockdown, due to the resumption of economic activities and the consequent rise in energy demand, particularly by businesses.
Bills, record increase in the next quarter: Arera estimates
This is what is proposed by Arera, the Regulatory Authority for Energy, Networks and the Environment, which has the task of determining the price of bills net of taxes and so-called system charges, for all users who do not obtain supplies from the free market. , which in Italy are represented by almost one family out of two.
“After the collapse in prices recorded in the wholesale energy markets in the most acute phase of the Covid emergency – reads the Arera report – the recovery in energy consumption, which confirms the restart of the economy in Italy and Europe, has therefore led to a gradual rise in prices. The overall effect is particularly marked in the natural gas and CO2 markets and is consequently reflected also in the electricity market ”.
The relationship between the increase in gas and the electricity bill is determined by the fact that in Italy almost half of electricity production comes from power plants powered by natural gas. Therefore, when the costs of raw materials increase, the amounts of consumption still under the “protected” regime also rise.
In the last quarter of the year, a further rise in bills is expected because i wholesalers they stockpile for the arrival of winter, buying more and early on the market, thus causing prices to rise.
The Authority explained that in any case an increase in the figures in the bill in the next quarter must always be read in relation to collapse in consumption in the first three months characterized by the closure of most of the activities and which inevitably affected the energy sector.
In the second quarter (April / June period) there was also a 18.3% drop in electricity bills and 13.5% in gas, also continued in the third quarter for gas (-6.7%), with a slight increase instead for electricity (+ 3.3%).
Bills, record increase in the next quarter: the positive balance
According to the estimates of the Arera technicians, the difference in 2020 is however for the benefit of consumers as “for electricity, spending in 2020 for the typical family will be around 485 euros, with a variation of -13.2% compared to 2019, corresponding to savings of around 74 euros / year. In the same period, the typical household’s expenditure for the gas bill will be around 975 euros, with a variation of -12% compared to the 12 months of the previous year, corresponding to a saving of around 133 euros / year ”.
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