Bills, the hidden tax. “With the return of the electricity system charges, more expensive than 125 euros”

MILAN. The spring bill creates a lot of headaches for families. The calculations are not simple and the confusion is a lot. The consumer associations are trying to clarify the matter: “The sting on gas linked to the lower discounts decided by the Government with the latest bill decree is “fake news”, and the real alarm is instead represented by the return of system charges on electricity bills”. This was stated by Codacons which, accounts in hand, categorically denies the catastrophic forecasts of increases for gas.

«The restoration of 65% of the UG2C tariff component will not have any immediate consequences for families, both because it will occur when the heating systems are already switched off, and because the lower discounts in the bill will be amply compensated by the forthcoming reduction in tariffs by Arera – explains the Codacons -. The real problem, on the other hand, is represented by the return of system charges on electricity, which will kick in just when Italians increase electricity consumption linked to the use of air conditioners, fans, etc., and which risk nullifying the reduction of the tariffs foreseen by Arera for the next quarter”.

According to Codacons, the return of system charges will in fact have an impact equal to +125 euros per family, bringing the current average electricity bill from 1,434 euros to 1,559 euros per year, with an increase of +8.7%. In recent weeks, Arera had forecast a 20% cut in electricity rates for the next quarter, equivalent to savings on electricity of 287 euros per year per family, but now the Government’s decision not to extend the discounts on electricity changes the cards into table and risks nullifying the drop in prices in the electricity sector, with consequent damage to families.

In the meantime, there is expectation for the update of the protected electricity tariffs which will be communicated tomorrow by Arera. The National Consumer Union recalls that according to the president of the Arera Stefano Besseghini there will be important variations certainly higher than 20% for the next electricity bill, around 10% on gas. «The fact remains that if the Government had instead confirmed all of Draghi’s provisions, households would have had a gas bill 459 euros lower on an annual basis, 298 euros if the Government repented, maintaining at least the discount quota for a year of 35% of the charges, now envisaged only until April. As for light, even if thanks to the price reduction announced by Arera, a substantial reduction in invoices is looming tomorrow, it is clear that the restoration of charges, if it were equal to the pre-crisis one of the second quarter of 2021, still implies an additional tax equal to 124 euros on an annual basis for a typical family in guardianship» says Marco Vignola, head of the energy sector of the National Consumer Union.

“In short, it is very serious that the Government, counting on the fact that, thanks to the substantial drop in wholesale prices, Arera will in any case be able to formally announce, both for electricity and gas, a reduction in the final price for protected families , put the taxes back on the bills, not realizing that they remain at lunar and heart attack levels” continues Vignola,

«Even more worrying is that for gas not only will the discount on charges be reduced by 65% ​​from April, but that from May the UG2 tariff component will be reintroduced at 100%, while the other system charges components, currently equal to zero , will be restored starting from the third quarter of 2023. In short, a sting is looming for gas which can only be partially mitigated starting from October with a fixed-rate contribution which for now, however, remains unknown, and which will only be introduced in case the average daily gas price on the wholesale market exceeds a certain threshold. Therefore, if the price remains the current one for the next twelve months, the contribution will not be triggered and the Italians will pay 459 euros more on an annual basis» concludes Vignola.