Once the League’s last-minute blitz attempt to give six more months of life to the protected electricity market has been shelved, from 1 July the historic “stop” – after years of delays – will be in force. The “protected” market will remain in force only for so-called “vulnerable” users, for whom the sector authority Arera has just indicated a tariff increase of 12% in the next quarter.
To date, of the approximately 30.2 million households, 22.7 million are already served in the free market. There remain 7.5 million who have remained or returned to the Maggior Tutela. In turn, of these there are 3.8 million vulnerable who will therefore continue to be served in tutelage. But there are also 3.7 million “non-vulnerable” who, not having opted for any free market operator, will automatically move to the so-called Gradual Protection Service. An intermediate world where the tariff is partly set by Arera and partly by the operator who has won the package of customers and which, on balance, guarantees a prospective saving of 113 euros per year.
As the transition is imminent, we have carried out some simulations to verify what the market situation is in the comparison between the free and protected market: you can find them here.
And below we propose the answers to the most frequent doubts in this important transition phase.
Who are the vulnerable?
The end of the Maggior tutela brings with it an important novelty: from July consumers will be considered vulnerable or non-vulnerable. Those who are among the first will have the opportunity to continue living under the “umbrella” of Arera, in a regime called “Protection of vulnerability” but which, in fact, is identical to the protection as we have always known it. But who are the vulnerable?
- All over 75s;
- consumers in economically disadvantaged conditions (for example those already receiving the bonus);
- those who have serious health conditions that require the use of medical-therapeutic equipment powered by electricity (or where there are people in such conditions);
- subjects with disabilities pursuant to article 3 of law 104/92;
- who has a user in an emergency housing facility following a disaster or on a smaller, non-interconnected island.
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The vulnerable subject must also be the holder of the supply
I am vulnerable and I am in Greater Protection, what has happened since July?
Nothing changes: you will continue to be supplied by the same supplier as always and at the economic conditions established by Arera. It should be remembered that the protection rates are not convenient a priori: it is a variable price in all respects that is subject to market trends, only that instead of every month, the rate varies quarterly.
I am vulnerable and on the free market, what should I do?
There are two options. The first is to stay on the free market. The second is to inform the operator that you want to switch to Vulnerability Protection and send the self-declaration.
Does the vulnerable user necessarily have to be protected?
No. There is complete freedom of choice: the advice is to always keep an eye on the Arera Offers Portal to understand if there are interesting offers on the free market. To date there are no free market rates cheaper than the protection, but in a scenario of free competition things can change.
Can the vulnerable person who remains on the free market return to protection after July 1, 2024?
Yes, anyone who meets the vulnerability requirements can ask their operator to switch to protection at any time: there are no deadlines.
Electricity: last days for the protected market
June 24, 2024
What happens to non-vulnerable people who are still in guardianship on 30 June?
For these consumers, a third way opens up: that of Gradual protections. It is a buffer regime, which will last until March 2027, which will include all those who have not found an operator on the free market. And here is the twist: far from being a fallback, the gradual protections are the most convenient regime ever. The reason? The auctions with which the operators have won the various areas of the country: the downward offers have been so marked that the fixed component has transformed, in fact, into a discount that will allow you to save around 130 euros per year compared to a protected customer.
I am non-vulnerable and I am on the free market, what can I do?
After June 30, the only option is to look for another supplier on the free market, using the Arera Offers Portal. Before June 30, however, it is possible to return to Tutela so that, from July, you can return to the gradual Tutela which, as we have seen, is a rather convenient market. It is not too late: those who apply in these days, and until the last hours of June 30, will still end up in tutelage although probably not before August-September. What do you have to do to return to tutelage? We have published a guide on Repubblica to explain it step by step.
What if there is a vulnerable person in the family but they are not the holder of the supply?
In this case, it is always possible to make a transfer in the name of the family member with the vulnerability requirements, and then ask your supplier to switch to Vulnerability Protection. On the free market, the transfer is not free: the costs depend on what is provided for in the contract.
