Italy approves decree to cut electricity costs from January

Italy's Council of Ministers has approved the Bollette decree-law, whose temporary reimbursement of gas costs for power generation is meant to cut electricity costs by about 15 euros per megawatt-hour from January, according to the energy minister.

Why it matters: The decree is Italy's latest attempt to blunt gas-driven electricity prices for households and businesses, and the size of the household benefit is already disputed between the government and the opposition.

Data as of Via ANSA, in Italian, November 9, 2026, read in full in this run; the energy minister's statement was also carried by Italpress the same day. The decree text had not been published in the Gazzetta Ufficiale when this item was written, and ANSA reported no total cost, duration or financing source for the measure, so the 15 euro figure is the minister's estimate, not a measured outcome. Developing item.

Italy’s Council of Ministers on Monday approved the Bollette decree-law, containing urgent provisions to reduce the cost of electricity and gas. Its central mechanism temporarily reimburses a share of the cost of natural gas used in thermoelectric generation, a design the energy ministry said was defined in dialogue with the European Commission, with the Arera regulator and the GME market operator in supporting roles. Environment and Energy Security Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin said the decree’s measures together would allow an average reduction of about 15 euros per megawatt-hour from January.

Business group Confcommercio welcomed the move, noting that business energy bills reached 3.8 billion euros in the third quarter, up 46.2 percent on a year earlier, while urging that the financing method not add new burdens to bills. The opposition Greens and Left Alliance deputy Angelo Bonelli countered that the household benefit amounts to about 1.4 euros a month and that the government is again using temporary measures rather than addressing dependence on gas.

Italy approves decree to cut electricity costs from January

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