Switch to the free electricity and gas market

The liberalization of the energy market in the coming months will also affect domestic supplies. But what exactly does "free energy market" mean? Is it worth switching to the free market from the gas protection service and the enhanced protection service? Let's find out together what is meant by both the free market and the protection and greater protection service, but above all what the advantages of the transition to the free market are.

Free electricity and gas market in Italy

The free market allows you to freely choose your electricity and gas supplier, from a wide range of options available on the market. This allows you to find the solution best suited to your needs and obtain personalized rates.

In particular, the free market offers you flexibility because you can:

• find the most convenient solution for you and which best suits your consumption habits;
• choose between fixed or variable price offers: with fixed price offers you have the price of the energy component blocked for a defined period. Variable price offers, on the other hand, follow the market trend;
• add innovative services and solutions for your home and business.

What is the protection and enhanced protection service

The gas protection service and the enhanced protection service are regulated by the Regulatory Authority for Energy, Networks and the Environment (ARERA) and guarantee customers a price defined and updated by the Authority for natural gas and gas respectively. 'electric energy. This type of service is intended for customers who have not yet chosen to switch to the free market.

When will the mandatory transition to the free market take place?

For non-vulnerable domestic customers the end of the gas protection and greater electricity protection service occurred on:

• 31 December 2023, for gas (ARERA resolution 100/2023);
• 30 June 2024 for electricity (ARERA resolution 600/2023).

As regards micro-enterprises, the enhanced protection service for electricity ended in April 2023, while for small enterprises it had already ended in 2021.

Is it worth switching to the free electricity and gas market?

Switching to the free market offers several advantages. First of all, the ability to choose your supplier and find rates suited to every consumption need. Additionally, suppliers in the free market can offer extra services that help consumers optimize their usage and save on their bills.

For example, with Enel Energia, you benefit from having a single supplier to contact and manage the products and services you want to activate:

• Fixed or variable price offers for power and gas;
• Ultra-fast internet with Enel Fiber , at a discounted price if you are already a customer or want to become one. Enel Fibra was awarded Product of the Year 2024 for innovation (Circana research on 12,000 consumers, selected services from prodottodellanno.it category TELECOMMUNICATION FIBER SERVICES);
• Enel Energia’s energy efficiency products and services with great prices on air conditioners, boilers, photovoltaics, and electric mobility. Exclusive services such as a 10-year “All Risk Insurance” on the solar range and innovative products like balcony photovoltaics;
• Web Bill service to receive your bill at your preferred email address. It’s smart, sustainable, and free;
• Flexible and digital payment methods such as direct debit from your bank account, credit card, PagoPA notice;
• Enel Energia App to independently manage your supplies, activate new offers, monitor your consumption, and much more;
• e-monitor, the free monitoring tool to check the consumption of each appliance and optimize electricity use.

Discover Enel Energia's offers.

Environmental impact of the free energy market

By entering the free market you have the opportunity to choose suppliers who offer energy from renewable sources. With the growing interest in environmental sustainability, you will be able to support the transition to clean energy sources such as solar or wind energy.

If you sign up for one of the web electricity offers with Enel Energia you will only use energy certified by the new "Guarantees of Origin" system of the Energy Services Manager (EC directive 2009/28/EC).

What happens if you don't choose a supplier on the free market

The supply passes free of charge, automatically and without any interruption, to the Gradual Protection Service (TSG) whose supplier has been selected via auction.

The contractual and economic conditions are defined by ARERA also on the basis of the outcomes of insolvency proceedings.

For further information consult the dedicated article.

Instead, vulnerable domestic customers provided in the enhanced protection service will continue to be served, even after 1 July 2024, in the Enhanced Protection Service.

Vulnerable domestic electricity and gas customers are considered to be those who fall into one of the following conditions:

• are over the age of 75;
• benefit from a social bonus for economic hardship (for further details consult our section dedicated to the social bonus) pursuant to article 1, paragraph 75, of law 124/17;
• are in serious health conditions that require the use of medical-therapeutic equipment powered by electricity (or where there are people in such conditions);
• are subjects with disabilities pursuant to article 3 of law 104/92;
• are holders of a supply located in an emergency housing facility;
• have a user on a smaller, non-interconnected island (only for domestic customers with an electricity supply).

When can we move to the free market

The transition to the free market can occur at any time. Simply choose the rate that best suits your needs and activate it, even online, by signing the contract. Provide the personal data of the holder of the supply; the supply address and your contact details. The transition is totally free and does not require any additional costs, with the exception of any charges connected to signing the contract itself.

Moving to the free market is an opportunity to be seized for those who wish to benefit from offers suitable for every consumption need and personalized management of their needs.