(Finance) – The president of Arera, Stefano Besseghiniconfirmed that the price of natural gas, which decreased from January 2023 to March, will return to growth in the coming months. “In January 2023 – he declared in one audition to the Finance Commission of the Chamber – there was a reduction of 34.2% in the price of the natural gas for the typical family (the one with average consumption of 1,400 cubic meters/year) compared to December 2022. This was determined by the reduction in expense for natural gas (-35.9%), due to the decrease in the component relating to the costs of supplying of natural gas, by the slight increase linked to expenses for transport and meter management (+0.3%) and by the new level of coverage of the system charges envisaged by the Budget Law for the year 2023 (+1.4%)”.
In February there was a further decrease of 13% in the price of natural gas for the family type compared to the previous month, while in March 2023 there was a further drop of 13.4% in the price of natural gas for the typical household compared to February (including the effects of the aid measures), after the decreases recorded for consumption in the months Of January (-34.2%) and February (-13%).
“The quotes of the natural gas wholesale markets for the coming months – added Besseghini – have recently shown again volatility growing and quotes for the third and fourth quarters up (by more than 5% and 15% respectively compared to the quotations for the second quarter)”.
“Parliament should heed the cry of alarm launched by President Besseghini and review the decree law n. 34 of 30 March, reintroducing the discount now in force on the gas system charges, otherwise, at the same price, there will be an increase in the bill equal, at regime, a 459 euros on an annual basis,” he says Mark Vignolahead of the energy sector of the National Consumer Union, who adds “one sting which can only be partially mitigated starting from October with a fixed quota contribution which for now, however, remains unknown, and which will be introduced only if the average daily price of gas on the wholesale market exceeds the threshold of 45 euros /MWh”.
Codacons talk about one sting equal to total +317 euros per year per family (+160 euros for electricity, +157 euros for gas) compared to current rates. “The Government must not be found unprepared, and it is necessary to study interventions aimed at minimizing the effects of the future increase in energy on the pockets of Italians, considering that skyrocketing inflation and two years of high bills have already impoverished Italians and significantly reduced consumption”, concludes the president Charles Rienzi.
“The Arera data confirm that the energy emergency is not yet over in our country”, he says Absolute usersindicating that the greater expenditure in the bill, just for the lightwould be equal to +160 euros year to family”. “Considering the volatility of energy prices, we believe that the Government would do well to evaluate a new intervention on system charges, reintroduced in April and which today account for 12.7% of electricity bills, weighing down the energy expenditure of Italians “, the president reiterates Furio Truzzi.