The expensive gas bill causes the government and Arera to quarrel
The increase of gas tariffs in April on the protected market they become a reason for conflict between l‘Arera and the government. Yesterday, in fact, the Authority that regulates the energy networks and environment sectors announced an increase by 22.4% in April, after three consecutive declines. The increase is linked to the fact that the freezing of VAT for gas bills at 5% was confirmed in the government bill decree, but system charges were released, in particular for the item that covers marketing costs of companies: thus, for the month of April this cost (shown in the bill as UG2) increased by 29.5%.
This is what has been announced by Arera which by law updates once a month the changes in tariffs for raw materials, as well as the changes in ancillary charges. It should be remembered that the increase comes after three consecutive declines in January (-34.2%), February (-13.4%) and March (-13.4%).
In the note Stefano Besseghinipresident of the Arera, also underlined how things are returning “on the road back to normality. in which the system is called to balance without recourse to state finances to deal with the crisis”. This means that the Authority expects gas prices on the markets to be substantially stable at these levels for the next few months: in fact, the options on the Dutch TTF platform – the reference index for the European market – envisage prices below 40 euros until September, for then climb above 50 in the last quarter of 2023.
Words from the Arera exploited
The words of the Arera though have been used by consumer associations and by the opposition to challenge the government of Giorgia Meloni, “guilty” of having led to an increase in bills in a period of the year in which the heating is still on (the new tariffs refer, remember, to the month of April).
The criticisms did not please the Ministry of Economy, that this morning on a very dry note overturned responsibility for what happened at the Arera: the government, in fact, “continues to monitor the fluctuations in energy prices and the MEF is ready to intervene in support of households and businesses in the event of significant and sudden increases. However, the latest decree against high bills followed, as before, Arera’s suggestions in the planned interventions “.
Tabarelli: “The problem is the monthly surveys”
But to what is this continual ups and downs due? Answers this question from the columns de The print Davide Tabarelli, president of Nomisma Energiawhich underlines how “the roller coaster of gas tariffs is accentuated by the decision to apply monthly and not quarterly changes, as, however, happens for electricity. Here, a month ago, a gigantic 55% reduction was decided, with tariffs back to 24 cents per KWh, substantially in line with pre-crisis values, and valid for the entire second quarter of 2023 until July. It is this which weighed heavily on the regulated component of consumer prices, but which was more than offset by the strong increase in the unregulated component and which brought the inflation rate up again to 8.3%”.
According to the expert “yesterday’s blow to families means one higher expenditure of around 230 euros on an annual basisamply compensated, however, by the €700 cut from the electricity bill, again on an annual basis, of last month. Firms are also suffering, with more normal prices, but at levels three times higher than those charged by companies they compete with in Asia or the United States. We can’t have our cake and eat it too and if we have an economy that pulls hot inflation that’s the price to pay”.