TERAMO – The “Robin Hood” association highlights that the greater protection market is transforming, but does not end.
Transformation is unlimited for vulnerable customers (in some cases it is limited by the ISEE value or the loss of Maps) while for all other subjects it is limited until 31 March 2027 and for these it will be applied if they are still in the enhanced protection market or request to return by the end of the month.
The difference between the two markets is given by the setting of prices for the first, it is Arera that determines it, over the years it has proven to be the most advantageous for end users, with the exception of the energy crisis period.
Source Arera, the estimated price for 2024 in the electricity sector is 33.00 euros per kWh in the protected market and 38.00 in the free market, a 5 euro difference which is not a small amount.
The free market should lead to an improvement in services and a reduction in costs, this has happened in the telephony sector and in the energy sector, which is why Arera has always postponed the end of the Protection Market.
We have reached the transformation of the market and it has happened that many companies, rightly in their own interest, have activated massive campaigns to attract customers in the free market, sometimes illicitly with false communications, so much so that many beneficiaries of the Bonus moving to the latter have lost the “switch” towards the automatic vulnerability market.
In this regard, we invite you to check the wording “vulnerability market” at the top, and immediately start a request for application of the same if the indication “free market” exists (annex 1)
The association also experiences difficulties in the return procedures, despite Arera’s recommendation, to the greater protection managers.
For these reasons, an extension to the possibility of return was requested.
The association therefore invites you to return to the greater protection market, to avoid hasty choices or recover compromised situations, this circumstance is absolutely suitable for vulnerable customers (annex 2) recommended for others, you will have further months to ponder the choice.
The association will launch a free service for those who want to remain on the free market for its members to monitor deadlines and indicate the best contracts close to it, to avoid situations of unilateral application of impossible tariffs.
Only vulnerable domestic customers can remain on the regulated market until further notice. More precisely, they remain part of the renamed Protected Vulnerability Service, except that anyone can always decide to move to the free market like everyone else. Everyone can read, in the letter received from their manager, whether or not they fall within this protected social bracket and thus have controlled prices. But if the data in the supplier’s possession are incorrect, you can always fill out an attached form and communicate the correction. Vulnerable subjects are those who find themselves in at least one of the following situations, specified by ARERA:
* are in economically disadvantaged conditions (for example recipients of the electricity bonus, which the government has refinanced for the first quarter of 2024);
* are in serious health conditions, such as to require the use of medical-therapeutic equipment powered by electricity (or who live with people in such conditions);
* are subjects with disabilities pursuant to article 3 of law 104/92;
* have a user in an emergency housing facility following calamitous events;
* have a user on a non-interconnected smaller island;
* are over 75 years of age.
The Gradual Protection Service is the service set up by ARERA to accompany the transition to the free electricity market after the removal of price protection (protected market).
All customers who do not have a seller on the free market automatically fall under the Gradual Protection Service, without any interruption in the supply of electricity.
The Gradual Protection Service is provided by sellers selected through specific competitive procedures.
Each territorial area is served by a single supplier, who can also serve multiple areas simultaneously.
The Gradual Protection Service is differentiated as follows:
* Gradual protection service for non-vulnerable DOMESTIC CUSTOMERS
It will affect all non-vulnerable domestic customers who will not have an electricity supplier on the free market in July 2024.
The contractual conditions of the Gradual Protection Service correspond to those of the Free Price offers A
Equal Protection Conditions (PLACET offers) with reference to the following aspects:
* billing times: bimonthly;
* guarantees requested from the customer: none in the case of payment by direct debit, postal order or credit card; in all other cases, the security deposit will be charged on the first bill, equal to €11.5 for each kW of contractually committed power;
* payment method: direct debit, postal or credit card or payment slip.
As regards the economic conditions, the duration will run from 1 July 2024 until 31 March 2027.
