Experts predicted an increase in Italian gas spending by 117%

ROME, Oct 4 – PRIME. The 70% increase in gas tariffs expected by experts will increase Italian families’ spending on this type of fuel by 117% in the last quarter of the year and bring total annual spending to 3,000 euros per year, Assoutenti, the national consumer association, said on Tuesday.

“If analysts’ forecasts of a +70% increase in gas tariffs from October were confirmed, the jump would reach 2942 euros per year per family only for expenses related to gas supplies. This rise in price would mean an increase in tariffs in the last quarter of 2022 by +117% compared to the same period in 2021, when the cost of energy began to rise continuously,” said Assoutenti President Furio Truzzi.

Rising gas tariffs will be coupled with electricity prices, which jumped 122% year-on-year in the last quarter, “making it increasingly impossible to spend on energy,” he said. In this regard, Assoutenti is appealing to the future Italian government for a series of orders that would allow “decoupling” the cost of electricity from gas prices, as well as to impose a ban on any interruption of energy supplies for the whole of 2023.

Assoutenti estimates that in 2021, an Italian family of four spent an average of 1,162 euros.

The Italian State Regulatory Authority for Energy, Grids and the Environment (Arera) found that in the third quarter of 2022, the so-called “uniform national electricity price” increased by almost four times compared to the first quarter. In this regard, the regulator has taken additional measures in order to contain further growth in energy prices. In particular, it was found that in the fourth quarter the price of electricity should increase by 59%, while initially it was supposed to double. In total, an average Italian family will spend an average of 1322 euros per year on light, despite the fact that in 2021 the average spending reached 632 euros. The decision on gas prices is expected to be made in early November. The media do not rule out that tariffs will increase by about 70%.