BOLZANO. The 1 July 2024 the electricity tariffs of the so-called will expire protected market. The Consumer Protection Center of Bolzano explains what will change for consumers and on the other hand, what should not be feared.
To the domestic customers who currently benefit from the protected market tariff and do not wish to switch to a free market tariff, from 1 July 2024 the so-called service tariff with gradual protections (or TSG).
The transition to the gradual protection service will take place automatically and free of charge without any interruption in supply of electricity. The respective suppliers were determined through an auction: for South Tyrol the STG supplier will be Enel Energia. Those who will be automatically transferred to the STG they will be able to opt at any time for an offer on the free marketentering into a contract with a new supplier.
Switching to the supplier in STG will involve the automatic transfer of the Iban as well for those who have automatic payment of bills from their account active (SDD – Sepa).
To date, it is not yet known how much customers will pay in the STG: there has been talk of a reduction in costs compared to the protected market tariff, but the exact amount is not yet known.
Vulnerable consumers
The Stg tariff will not be activated for “vulnerable” consumers, since starting from 1 July they will be subject to the special protection tariff foreseen for “vulnerable customers” which will be applied to them directly by their current supplier (this condition could perhaps change in future, but no other details are currently known).
This vulnerability fee is subject to the contractual and economic conditions defined by the Regulatory Authority (Arera). “Vulnerable customers” are consumers who have at least one of the following conditions: aged over 75who are entitled to the so-called “social bonus“, currently with ISEE up to 9,530 euros or up to 20,000 euros if with at least 4 dependent children; who use medical-therapeutic equipment powered by electricity; subjects with disability pursuant to article 3 of Law 104/92; who are the holders of a user located in one emergency housing facility following calamitous events; user located on a smaller island not interconnected to the national electricity grid.
Consumers who have not already been identified as vulnerable customers, even if they fall into at least one of the vulnerability categories indicated above, can fill out the self-declaration form available here and send it to their seller, using the contact details indicated on the bill, to be recognized as “vulnerable customers”.
Consumers who decide to switch to the free market can find an offer on the free market by making a projection of annual expenditure through the Offers portal managed by Arera (www.ilportaleofferte.it).
By registering on the portal via Spid, the offer can be created automatically based on your real and current consumption data, without having to look for it on your bill.
Little information
At the beginning of the year, the Afi/Ipl Barometer found that South Tyrolean workers are little interested in the topic: almost a third declared that they were not informed at all. “Consumers certainly cannot be blamed: the information campaign promised for some time by the national authorities began several months late, and even today – five days before the deadline – there are still no clear answers on several key points”, comments Gunde Bauhofer, director of the CTCU. Finally, the topic that most interests consumers. What shouldn’t you fear from the news? The effective supply of electricity will not be interrupted, regardless of the decision made by consumers. Furthermore, families will not be sanctioned if they do not decide for or against a specific offer, as some call center employees “threaten”.
