The price of gas falls again, but the bill grows
Spending per family rises to 1,866 euros
For the 7.3 million customers still on the protected market, gas consumption in December costs 23.2% more.
This was decided by Arera, the energy authority, which updated the cost of the bills. The increase in tariffs was inevitable, considering that the average industrial price of gas in Italy was 116.171 euros per megawatt hour in December against 91 in November.
The jump recorded in the last month of the year was 27.6%, while the Arera managed to "contain" the increase at +23.2%. A sting that adds to the +13.7% seen in November .
The Authority itself calculated that despite some savings at the beginning of autumn, in terms of final effects, the expenditure for the typical family in the period January-December 2022 is around 1,866 euros, +64.8% compared to 2021.
While this +23.2% to be paid for many families and very small businesses arrives, the industrial price of gas in Amsterdam continues to fall . Shortly after 6 pm, the TTF contract expiring in February lost 8%, listing 70.8 euros per megawatt hour. There is gas, stocks – as Snam announced today – are still 82% full in Italy and 83% in Europe.
At the end of winter, stocks will not be reset to zero, so the filling activity in view of the next winter 2023-2024 will not be prohibitive or ultra-expensive as happened last summer, with the States that to get hold of gas have come to raise the TTF to 349 euro/MWh at the end of August.
Furthermore, the price in Amsterdam is collapsing due to the mild climate which pushes us to make greater use of renewables in Europe for the production of electricity, not to mention the fact that the consumption reduction plan launched by the EU, and put into practice above all by companies as a legitimate defense against stellar bills, saw methane consumption drop by 20% from August to November compared to the 2016-2021 average.
Prices are falling in Amsterdam but also on the Italian stock exchange . The tiny January average, which also reflects the trend in the last week of December 2022, shows a price of 72.3 euro/MWh. If this price were to remain until the end of the month, then the gas bill in January should drop by 35%.
We have to wait at least until January 20-25 to understand the precise amount of the drop, but certainly, barring unforeseen and shocking events, the bill will be cheaper .
(Unioneonline/D)
