BARI – An energy company with a century of history, strongly committed to transition policies, it boasts a significant part of its core business in Puglia and Basilicata. Sev-Iren, a gas, electricity and services company of the Iren Group founded in 2017, combines the solidity of belonging to a large company such as the Iren Group, one of the main multi-utilities in the country with more than 100 years of experience, with the desire to cover the territories in a widespread manner to create a bond of loyalty among its customers. Sev-Iren is now an established company in the energy sector and in addition to electricity and gas it offers products for the home such as internet connection, home automation systems and electric mobility vehicles. The brand is present throughout the territory of Central and Southern Italy with over 500 physical points of sale. Last May, the auction for the Gradual Protection Service for SMEs took place, with Iren Mercato winning 3 lots starting from July 1st, relating to the regions of Tuscany and Calabria (lot 1), Piedmont and Emilia Romagna (lot 4) and Puglia, Abruzzo, Basilicata, Molise, Umbria, Sicily (lot 7) for a total of 38,000 points, a total volume of over 500 million Kwh/year and an estimated turnover of around 200 million/year. The Gradual Protection Service is the service set up by Arera, the Regulatory Authority for Energy, Networks and the Environment, to accompany the transition to the free market for electricity after the removal of price protection (protected market). An investment that rewards the company that has a strong and continuous presence in our territory. We talked about it with the CEO of Sev Iren, Mauro Tornatore.
Let’s start with your latest investments in the South and in particular in Puglia and Basilicata. What do these regions represent for you?
“Puglia is one of the main regions of our commercial development. For us it is an area in constant expansion. In fact, thanks to our commercial development strategy in the territory we have managed in recent years to guarantee a widespread presence throughout the region, counting around 200 energy points. We have consolidated our presence starting from Taranto, Bisceglie, Barletta, Andria and Foggia, as well as Bari and Trani, where we have a consolidated presence of three stores and in the coming months we will continue with the opening in the main municipalities of Puglia. In 2024 in Puglia we plan to open another 5 stores and 30 energy points. Starting from around 10 stores and 200 energy points already present in Puglia before the auctions were awarded, we are talking about almost 250 physical contact points of the company or partners available to customers”.
What is it about?
«The Energy Points are smaller proximity shops managed indirectly by us through agencies that deal specifically with the management of these shops, always because in fact one of our strategic pillars is proximity to the customer, presence in the territories through physical shops».
In short, have you bet on the human factor?
“Exactly. We were already present in the region, then fate wanted that in the composition of the lots by the authority two were created, but one in particular, in which there were four provinces of Puglia in which we were already present. We focused particularly on this because for us it was a great opportunity for growth: it essentially allowed us to double the base in territories in which we already historically had a network. So we were able to give a level of service to customers who came from the protection that was certainly higher than what they were used to, with the advantage of a physical point to turn to for any problem”.
You have won 10 provinces in central and southern Italy. Is the South your strong point?
«Our market today is basically distributed throughout the entire territory of Southern Italy and partly across the territory of central Italy because we essentially start from Grosseto and arrive in Reggio Calabria and we also have a marginal amount of customers at the moment in Sicily».
Clean Energy and Transition. What is your commitment to the South?
«The Iren Group presented its Industrial Plan to 2030 just a few days ago. Investments of 8.4 billion euros are planned over the next 7 years, mainly for energy network and water cycle infrastructure, the development of renewable capacity and the environmental sector throughout the country».
However, it is precisely in Puglia and Basilicata that you have invested significantly in photovoltaics. Is that so?
«Absolutely. Last September, Iren, through Iren Green Generation, a Group company dedicated to the development of renewables, inaugurated the photovoltaic park built in Ferrandina, in the province of Matera: the plant, with a power of 30 MWp, has been in operation since July and is the largest in Basilicata. In January 2022, the Iren Group signed a binding agreement for the acquisition from European Energy of 100% of the shares of Puglia Holding Srl, through the subsidiary Iren Energia SpA, thus obtaining possession of the Asi photovoltaic parks, located in the Municipality of Troia in the province of Foggia and the Palo del Colle complex located in the Province of Bari. The Troia plant, built in 2019, has an installed capacity of 103 MW, making it the largest photovoltaic park built in Italy to date and allowing for electricity production of approximately 150 GWh per year».
Does your attention to the South pay off?
«In recent years, thanks to their proximity strategy which I mentioned before, our stores in the South have had the ability to triple their customers in six years, which in itself is an extraordinary result. If we look at the trend, from 2018 or when we essentially started in Southern Italy to today, we have increased our customer base sixfold. And this means that in fact users have recognized a certainly excellent level of service.”
