The decreasing trend for wholesale gas and energy costs, certified in the first months of 2023, seems destined to stop starting from the summer and this means that even the much-vaunted reduction in electricity and gas bills, in part nullified by the reintroduction of system charges, will once again become a thing of the past.
The Regulatory Authority for Energy, Networks and the Environment anticipates the new possible blow through its president Stefano Besseghini. During the last hearing on the Bills decree before the Finance and Social Affairs commissions of the Chamber, Besseghini underlined how the growing volatility of wholesale gas and electricity prices will lead to new increases in the third and fourth quarter of 2023.
Gas will cost up to 15% more by the end of 2023
The wholesale price of gas, which fell in early 2023, is expected to rise 5% in the third quarter of the year and of 15% in the following quarter. The increase in the bill for users, however, could be higher than these percentages due to the aforementioned reintroduction of system charges, from 1 April to 65% and from next July, precisely in conjunction with the first increase in the price of gas wholesale, 100%.
Faced with what promises to be a new blow for Italian families, Stefano Besseghini has made an appeal to Giorgia Meloni’s government to quickly implement the new Bollette decree and, in view of autumn, extend the Heating Bonus also to the first months of 2024 and not only, as currently expected, until December 2023.
Up to 25% more on the price of electricity
It won’t be any better for electricity, with wholesale costs which according to Arera estimates could increase by 10% for the third quarter of the year and 25% for the fourth and final quarter of 2023. In this case, Besseghini explained, “the forecasts are even less reliable the longer we go in time”, but this does not mean we should not be ready to provide support to Italian families already deeply affected by the high cost of living recorded in recent months.
Assoutients has already estimated that if Arera’s forecasts are confirmed, the increase in electricity bills by the end of the year could be 160 euros per year per family. Hence the appeal to the government launched by the president Furio Truzzi:
Given 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.
How to pay bills in installments
Faced with this probable new increase in electricity and gas billsfor many families the possibility of asking for the payment installments will become more and more concrete. Both customers of the enhanced protection service and those served on the free market have the possibility of requesting to pay in installments bills exceeding 50 euros, provided that certain particular conditions exist.
In the case of gas bills, for protection service customers, the installment is possible when:
- the bill containing a recalculation for actual consumption, and is more than double the highest amount invoiced in the estimated consumption bills that preceded it;
- a malfunction of the meter has been ascertained and the bill includes the payment of consumption not recorded by the meter itself;
- the supplier has not respected, even sporadically, the scheduled frequency for issuing bills;
- the user is equipped with an accessible meter and the bill contains a recalculation for actual consumption, due to one or more missed readings;
- the customer is the holder of a gas bonus and is in default for non-payment of one or more bills.
This also applies to customers served in the free market who are holders of the gas bonus, while all other customers on the free market must verify in the contract whether this possibility is foreseen.
The situation is very similar for electricity bills. Customers of the enhanced protection service can request the bill installments of an amount exceeding 50 euros when:
- the bill contains a recalculation for actual consumption and exceeds the average bill charge on estimated consumption that preceded it by 150%;
- the malfunction of the meter has been ascertained and the bill includes the payment of consumption not recorded by the meter itself;
- the supplier did not respect the scheduled frequency for issuing bills;
- the customer is the holder of an electricity bonus and is in default for non-payment of one or more bills.
As for gas bills, these same conditions also apply to electricity bills for customers served in the free market and holders of the electricity bonus, while all others must check what is provided for in the contract.
The most convenient rates for electricity today
Juggling between the many operators and the different electricity and gas tariffs is not an easy task, but the many offer comparison services allow you to understand more or less precisely, based on customer habits, to indicate the most advantageous ones.
As of today, 14 April 2023, if we consider a consumption of 1800 kWh/year for electricity, among the most convenient tariffs we highlight:
- Sorgenia Next Energy Sunlight: estimated expenditure of 50.4 euros per month
- NeN Special 48: estimated expenditure of 55.7 euros per month
- Eni Plenitude Trend Home: estimated cost of 61.6 euros per month
- Iren Revolution Light: estimated cost of 65.5 euros per month
- Enel Flex light: estimated cost of 67.8 euros per month
- A2A Smart Home: estimated expenditure of 59.3 euros per month
The most convenient rates for gas today
Considering an annual consumption of 800 Sm3 for gas for heating a family of 3 people, to date among the most convenient rates we highlight, thanks to the comparison of Selectra’s LuceGas.it:
- NeN Special 48 Gas: estimated expenditure of 83.6 euros per month
- Sorgenia Next Energy Gas Sunlight: estimated cost of 90 euros per month
- A2A Smart Home Gas: estimated cost of 89.2 euros per month
- Eni Plenitude Trend Home: estimated expenditure of 90.6 euros per month
- Edison World Gas: estimated cost of 89.7 euros per month
- Enel Flex Gas: estimated cost of 87.5 euros per month
