Italy’s
Economic Development Minister Carlo Calenda has proposed a national energy
strategy aimed at overhauling the country’s gas sector and cutting prices by
5%. Under the plan, Italy would buy pipeline capacity in neighbouring
Switzerland.
But
Calenda’s proposal to use the Swiss capacity to try to boost liquidity and
lower prices in Italy has led to a backlash from a lobby group that represents
most of Europe’s major energy companies and trading houses, reported Bloomberg.
“It shouldn’t be implemented at all,” said
Pietro Baldovin, a Brussels-based adviser at the European Federation of Energy
Traders. “Any gas hub should simply function according to the rules of supply
and demand.”
EFET, whose
members include companies and traders from Exxon Mobil Corp. to Gazprom PJSC
and Vitol Group, has been examining the proposal since June, when it was first
laid out. Lobby groups have already helped stymie one attempt by a member of
parliament to turn the measure into law and are closely watching further
legislative moves, Baldovin said.
Aiget, the
Italian Association of Wholesalers and Energy Traders, also opposes the plan,
Secretary-General Paolo Ghislandi said.
According
to Bloomberg, Calenda has declined to comment further. And a discussion on the
energy strategy scheduled for October 11 was cancelled because legislators
needed to vote on electoral law. They haven’t yet rescheduled talks.
https://www.neweurope.eu/article/italys-new-energy-strategy-cut-gas-prices/