FromJuly 1, 2024 The Brescia users currently on the protected market that by then they will not have chosen a free market operator will be seen automatically assigned as an Enel supplier.
This is the outcome that concerns the province of Brescia public auctions held on January 10th, organized by Acquirente Unico, the public company that buys electricity for the protected market.
Enel and Hera have filled up at public auctions to identify electricity suppliers to users who they will exit the protected market on July 1st. The two groups each won 7 of the 26 zones into which the Italian territory was divided. Each of the 26 zones was awarded to the company that made the lowest bid. 4 zones go to Edison Energia, 3 to Illumia, to A2A and Iren 2 eacha Eon 1.
In particular, Enel was awarded 1.4 million users, on 6 lots in the North and one in the Center. In detail Brescia falls within the northern area 5 assigned to Enel together with the municipality of Milan.
Hera’s 7 lots are worth 1 million more customers, mostly in the north. Edison was awarded 4 lots in Central and Southern Italy, increasing its customers by 700 thousand units. Illumia acquired Como, Turin Municipality, Varese, Rome (province), Florence, Naples (province), Nuoro and Sassari and reached the goal of 1 million users. Iren expands to the South, gaining 340 thousand new customers.
How many Italian families are on the protected market?
Currently on protected status there are 4.5 million families. If they don’t choose the free market first, the July 1st will be automatically transferred to the Gradual Protection Service, with a variable Placet rate. Arera estimates that, thanks to the auctions, electricity users will automatically switch to gradual protections they will save around 73 euros per year compared to the protected market.
«The auctions went well – commented the Minister of the Environment and Energy Security, Gilberto Pichetto -, because they were characterized by great participation and competition between operators which translates into advantages for users».
Among consumer associations, UNC underlines that «electricity prices are very competitive, except for the South 1, South 2 and South 10 territorial areas». Adoc believes that instead “electricity prices will be higher than pre-crisis peaks, and even higher than the tender price in the South1 and South2 areas”. Furthermore, he adds, «the information campaign promised by the Government is missing. Misinformation reigns supreme.”