The war in Iran increases the March gas bill by 19% for vulnerable users, those who still have the tariff set by the state. But the increase gives an idea of what the energy market is like today for all Italians, even those (the majority) who are on the free market. Consumer associations calculate that users pay over 2,000 euros a year for electricity and gas.
Still on the subject of high energy costs, the cut in excise duties on fuel, launched by the government on 18 March to control prices, will expire on 7 April. A Council of Ministers is scheduled for tomorrow which should extend the measure until the end of the month.
At the Ministry of Economy they are looking for where to get the money: there is talk of at least 500 million euros for the extension. Meanwhile, the state energy agency, Arera, today announced the gas tariff for the month of February for vulnerable users (2.3 million low-income families, elderly people, residents in disadvantaged areas). It is 130.97 cents per cubic meter, compared to 109.85 in February. An increase of 19.2%, due to the war in the Middle East, which caused the price of methane to skyrocket to 52.12 euros per megawatt hour. In February it was 35.21 euros, and was also down compared to January.
Last March 30, Arera announced the electricity tariff for the vulnerable in the second quarter of 2026. The increase was 8.1% compared to the first quarter. The National Consumers Union and Codacons calculate that, with today’s increase in the gas tariff, the annual expenditure of a vulnerable user will increase by 232 euros. The total expenditure thus reaches, for the vulnerable, 1441 euros per year. Added to the 605 euros for electricity, they make a total annual expenditure on energy of 2,046 euros. For Codacons, these are «numbers that attest to how the bill decree passed by the government is not able to intervene on the new energy scenario that broke out after the war in Iran.
We need new and more incisive measures.” «It is very serious that the Government has turned the other way – comments Marco Vignola of UNC -, abandoning Italians to their fate, persevering with a bill decree torn apart by events. Meloni and Giorgetti would have done better to learn from Draghi, who cut system charges and VAT on gas.” But the war in Iran, in addition to methane, also increases oil.
The WTI today rises by 10.2%, to 110.38 dollars a barrel, and Brent reaches 109.34 dollars, a +8%. Diesel remains steadily above 2 euros per litre, despite the excise duty cut of 20 cents per liter decided by the government on 18 March until 7 April. A cut which, by causing a reduction in VAT, led to a final saving at the pump of 25 cents. The measure gave a minimum respite to motorists and truck drivers, but it cost the state 400 million euros (taken from healthcare and other services) and did not achieve the objective of keeping diesel fuel within 1.90 euros.
The Council of Ministers is scheduled for tomorrow morning and should extend the cut in excise duties until April 30th. Transport Minister Matteo Salvini said he would ask for further aid for hauliers. But the Ministry of Economy must find another 500 million to finance the extension. And if the war in Iran does not end by April, not even this money will be enough, and nightmare scenarios will arise. The association of motorway concessionaires, Aiscat, announced today that it will accept the request of the Minister of Transport, Matteo Salvini, to reduce the price of fuel at the pump by 5 cents per litre. According to Codacons, the cut will lead to a saving of just 2.5 euros for a full tank.