End of the protected electricity market: what's changing and how to save

1 July 2024 establishes the end of the protected market of electricity for a part of Italian consumers. This change affects 4 million non-vulnerable customers, who will now be required to switch to the free market. The contractual and economic conditions of the supply will no longer be regulated by the Regulatory Authority for Energy, Networks and the Environment (Arera), with the exception of vulnerable categories, which will continue to benefit from the protection regime. Let's see in detail

End protected market in detail

The categories considered vulnerable include those over seventy-five, residents of small non-interconnected islands, those living in emergency accommodation, beneficiaries of law 104 for disabilities and those in serious economic or health conditions. These customers will continue to benefit from the conditions and prices established by Arera, awaiting the selection of operators for the vulnerability service via auctions.

Consumers who have not yet signed a contract in the free market will be temporarily transferred to Gradual protection service, a mechanism created by Arera to facilitate the transition. This service will assign customers to selected operators through auctions conducted in previous months.

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The gradual protection service, introduced by Arera, guides consumers in the transition from protected market to the free one. Those who have not chosen a seller in the free market will automatically be placed in this gradual protection regime.

The operators were selected through competition procedures and assigned to specific territorial areas based on the results of the auctions. The economic and price conditions vary according to the category of consumers (non-vulnerable customers, micro-enterprises and small businesses). According to Arera's estimates, the transition to the gradual protection service should guarantee a superior savings to one hundred euros a year.

Info

To identify the operator assigned to your area, simply examine the communications provided by Arera in the latest bills or visit the Authority website. It is expected that the transition to the gradual protection service could lead to a saving of over one hundred euros compared to the costs of the greater protection regime.

Non-vulnerable consumers who wished to return to the greater protection regime could submit their request until midnight on 30 June. These customers, however, still have the possibility to choose a more advantageous offer by consulting the dedicated portal on the Arera website.

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To check if you are still in the protected regime or if you have already moved to the free market, simply check your bill. If at the top right, near the supplier's indication and the supply number, the wording "Greater protection service" appears, it means that you are still in the protected market.

For further information, consumers can contact the Energy and Environment Consumer Help Desk in Arera, which can be contacted on toll free number 800.166.654.