Italy plans to set aside around €2bn to keep gas and electricity bills down in 2022. In September 2021, the country unveiled a plan worth €4bn to curb increases in energy prices until the end of 2021 with a focus on the poorest and most vulnerable households, as gas and electricity prices could increase by 30-40% in the next quarter in a context of surging gas prices. Italy will suspend the system costs, which are added to energy bills to fund measures such as incentives for renewables, for the last quarter of 2021. The measure will apply to all gas consumers and to households and small companies consuming electricity.
Gas is the main energy source in Italy, accounting for 42% of total consumption and for 50% of power generation in 2020. Power plants accounted for 42% of the gas demand in 2020, households and services for 39% (including 28% for households and 11% for services), and industry for 14%.