Overview

• ARERA’s July report found unexplained price anomalies in Italy’s 2023–24 wholesale electricity market, pointing to failures in regulatory oversight.
• An Il Fatto Quotidiano investigation alleges a producer cartel withheld supply to drive up prices and inflate bills by around €5 billion.
• Opposition parties from the Democratic Party, Five Star Movement and Avs have demanded an urgent parliamentary briefing by Energy Minister Pichetto Fratin, but no date has been set.
• Elettricità Futura has denied any illicit conduct, criticized ARERA’s methodology as incomplete and signaled intentions to legally contest the findings.
• Stefano Besseghini noted that consumers on the liberalized free market often pay more than those under traditional protection schemes, prompting calls for clearer transparency.