Di A little bit of context: the energy authority (ARERA)
For decades, Italy's energy was supplied by large public monopolies. Since the liberalisation reforms, residential consumers can freely choose their provider for electricity and gas on the free market, or stay on the regulated tariff overseen by the national energy authority, ARERA.
ARERA is the Italian Regulatory Authority for Energy, Networks and Environment. It oversees and supervises the markets for electricity, natural gas, water services, the waste cycle and district heating.
Established by law No. 481 of 1995, ARERA is an independent administrative authority whose mission is to promote competition and efficiency in public utility services while protecting the interests of users and consumers.
It also provides advisory support to the Italian Government and Parliament on matters within its competence, including the definition, transposition and implementation of EU legislation.
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Electricity
Like the rest of continental Europe, Italy supplies electricity at 220 volts, something worth checking before you bring household appliances from abroad. According to ARERA, a residential electricity bill is made up of the following items:
- Cost of electricity
- Cost of distribution and metering
- Cost of system charges
- Taxes
To make sense of how your supply actually reaches the wall socket, it helps to keep the four stages of the chain in mind:
| 1. Import or domestic production: the free market | 3. Distribution: local monopolies |
| 2. Transportation: the high-voltage national grid, managed by Terna | 4. Supplier: any free-market vendor or the regulated-market operator (usually linked to the local distributor) |
Distribution
The distribution network is the system of infrastructure that carries electricity to the end customer. High-voltage electricity is stepped down through primary substations to medium voltage, then through secondary substations and transformers to low voltage. Distribution companies operate these local low-voltage grids under a concession and are responsible for their maintenance.
Suppliers comparison
The supplier is the company that bills you for the energy you consume, and you are free to choose whichever one best fits your needs.
The main suppliers in Italy are:
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Gas supply chain in Italy
The Italian gas chain is organised in five stages:
- Supply: gas is either extracted on Italian soil or imported. About 10% of the country's gas is produced domestically, while roughly 90% is imported.
- Transportation: long-distance transport is operated by Snam Rete Gas. The grid is split into a national network, which connects entry points to the main pipelines, and a regional network, which links the national grid to consumption areas.
- Storage and dispatching: gas is stored to cover peak demand (typically in winter). Dispatching keeps supply and demand balanced and ensures continuity of service for every consumer.
- Wholesale: shippers buy gas from importers or producers and resell it to industrial customers, thermoelectric plants and retail suppliers.
- Distribution and retail: roughly 700 distributors deliver gas to end customers through local pipelines, while retail suppliers handle billing and the commercial relationship.
Energy and gas offers comparison
A quick look at how some of the main providers compare in terms of payment options and add-ons:
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*Price per kWh on weekends, holidays and every day from 7:00 PM to 8:00 AM. Prices refer to the energy component only and are locked for one year (VAT and taxes excluded). |
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*Prices refer to the energy component only and are locked for one year (VAT and taxes excluded). |