Bloomberg: Italy plans to remove carbon costs from electricity bills
Italy is preparing a comprehensive reform of its electricity market by planning to remove carbon costs from electricity bills, significantly impacting future trading prices.
Italy is undertaking significant reforms to its electricity market, aiming to eliminate carbon costs from electricity bills. This initiative is projected to lead to a substantial decrease in the prices of future contracts on the energy market, as reported by Bloomberg. The political backdrop of this decision includes support from the government's Energy Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratini and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who emphasized the importance of these measures in addressing energy costs for families and businesses.
The government approved an energy decree worth over three billion euros on Wednesday evening. Prime Minister Meloni highlighted that these reforms are aligned with promises made to voters, stating that efforts would be made to alleviate the energy cost burden on households and companies. Such measures reflect Italy's commitment to enhance economic stability and address the financial challenges posed by energy expenses.
The decree aims to offset costs incurred by gas-fired power plants for purchasing carbon allowances under the European Union's Emissions Trading System (ETS). Since gas plants typically determine wholesale electricity prices in Italy, the removal of carbon costs from the pricing mechanism could significantly lower electricity prices for end users, which may have broad implications for consumer spending and overall economic health in the country.