Bilancio della liberalizzazione del mercato dell'elettricità e del gas in Italia: 1999-2009

Ten years after the liberalization of the electricity and gas market in Italy it is possible to draw an evaluation of the achievements. The three key objectives of the single market mentioned in the original proposal of the European Commission have been achieved differently in the power market and in the gas sector. The exchanges with foreign countries has increased in the gas sector, but not in the electricity. The security of supply in both sectors has grown thanks to the investments. The price for final consumers has two parts: the competitive and the regulated one. The industrial component has only marginally decreased. Instead the costs for network utilization diminished more sensibly due to regulator intervention. The convergence of Italian prices compared to those in Europe was more modest in the electricity than in the gas sector. The industrial structure in both sectors has changed a lot. Much more players are operating now and the degree of concentration in all segments fell. This announces an increase in competition. Finally, there was a significant international opening both because some Italian companies have made significant investments abroad and because many foreign companies, especially European, are now present in the Italian energy market.