The Minister of Ecological Transition, Roberto Cingolani, signed the Decree defining the new time limits for the operation of natural gas-fired air conditioning systems and the reduction of one degree of the maximum values of the temperatures of the heated rooms, to be applied for the next winter season as envisaged by the Plan for the reduction of natural gas consumption. This was announced by the dicastery.
The new limits
The start-up period of the plants, explains the Ministry of Ecological Transition, “is reduced by one hour a day and the operating period of the winter season 2022-2023 is shortened by 15 days, postponing the start date by 8 days and anticipating of 7 the year-end date “. In the presence of “particularly severe climatic situations, the municipal authorities, with their own justified provision, may authorize the ignition of gas-fired thermal plants even outside the periods indicated in the decree, provided that it is for a reduced daily duration. Furthermore, the air temperature values are reduced by one degree centigrade ». To facilitate the application of the new provisions, explains the ministry, “Enea will publish a handbook with the essential information to correctly set the heating temperature that the condominium administrators will be able to make available to the condominiums”.
In this way, the map for switching on the heaters is redrawn, as follows:
1) Zone A: 5 hours a day from 8 December to 7 March;
2) Zone B: 7 hours a day from 8 December to 23 March;
3) Zone C: 9 am daily from November 22nd to March 23rd;
4) Zone D: 11 am daily from 8 November to 7 April;
5) Zone E: 1 pm daily from 22 October to 7 April;
6) Zone F: no limitation.
The areas of Zone F are typically those of the Alps. In zone A they are located Lampedusa and Porto Emedocle . Agrigento, Reggio Calabria, Messina or Trapani in Zone B; Naples, Imperia, Taranto and Cagliari in the C; Rome, Florence, Foggia, Ancona and Oristano in the D; Milan, Turin, Bologna, Aosta and L’Aquila in the E.