Why are power and gas bills continuing to rise?

In recent years, rising power and gas bills have had a significant impact on households and businesses. But why do prices keep rising?

There are multiple causes, related to external factors that are difficult to control. The cost of energy depends on market trends, the availability of raw materials, geopolitical events, and weather conditions.

The increases are particularly noticeable for the most vulnerable customers, who have remained in the protected market and for those who have chosen a free-market variable tariff. In the latter case, the energy component price follows the fluctuations of the PUN Index GME and the price of raw gas follows the trend of the PSV (Virtual Trading Point).

Faced with this scenario, it is crucial to be informed and aware: Enel allows you to split your bill payments into several instalments, by requesting an instalment directly online in the “Services” section of the Customer Area, in the Enel Energia App, or at your nearest Enel Store.

Understanding the factors influencing costs, comparing power and gas offers, and adopting savings strategies can help reduce the impact of increases on your energy bills.

Factors influencing bill increases 

If your bills are going up, it is not only due to your household consumption, but concerns a more complex system that is constantly changing. Let’s take a look at the main factors influencing higher bills:

Cost of raw materials

Energy production in Italy depends mainly on fossil sources (such as oil and natural gas). This reliance on traditional raw materials makes energy production costs particularly sensitive to price fluctuations on international markets, especially when the availability of renewable sources cannot fully cover demand.

Geopolitical events  

International tensions, such as the war between Russia and Ukraine, and strategic decisions by energy-producing countries can reduce the availability of resources, leading to price increases. This can be seen in Russia's decision to halt the flow of gas to Ukraine due to the non-renewal of the contract between the two countries, which has generated tensions in the European energy market. This has affected supplies to Italy and the rest of the continent, triggering price increases for power and gas due to the reduced availability of natural gas. 

Weather and environmental conditions

A colder-than-expected winter can lead to higher-than-average gas consumption, needed both for domestic heating and electrical energy generation. Moreover, extreme weather conditions can slow down energy distribution and production, further increasing costs in energy bills.

How to optimise costs to save on power and gas

Faced with higher and higher energy bills, it becomes crucial to adopt targeted solutions to reduce energy consumption and find the most convenient offers. Here are three key points to consider:

• Strategies to reduce energy consumption: small actions are enough to save power by up to 15% in one year, such as using high-efficiency appliances and LED bulbs. Gas consumption can also be optimised with small household saving tips, especially in the winter months when it is crucial to know how to manage your heating consumption.

• Comparison of offers on the free market: the free market offers consumers a wide range of choices to find the power and gas offers best suited to their needs. Read your bill to find out your expenses in detail: the price is the one you choose directly when signing the contract and is only reflected in the energy/natural gas expense component. Consider whether to evaluate a fixed or variable tariff and, for energy, opt for a one- or three- hour tariff, depending on how your consumption is distributed during energy time bands.

• Social bonuses for power and gas: check whether you are entitled to any social bonuses, facilities provided by the government and made operational by ARERA for families with physical or economic hardship, which allow you to further reduce your energy and gas bills.

Managing bill increases with Enel Energia 

Knowing the reasons for the price increase and adopting effective strategies to optimise consumption will help you limit the impact on your bill.

Choosing customised power and gas offers on the free market, taking advantage of consumption monitoring tools and adopting good energy-saving practices can make all the difference.

Would you like to find out which solution best suits your needs? Explore a world of solutions and offers on enel.it to manage your energy with convenience and sustainability.