Italian Mse offers auctions to cover companies while switching provider
Italy’s Ministry of Economic Development (Mse) has signed a decree setting criteria for auctions to be held next year. These auctions will furnish companies that have left the regulated power market with the opportunity to receive power from the chosen suppliers until they have found a new provider.
This “safeguard service” is open to all Italian companies with more than 50 employees and an annual turnover greater than EUR 10 million. In other words, those who were not able to access the service offered to households and small companies following the liberalisation of the regulated market in July this year.
The Mse said it had consulted interested market operators in great detail. The auctions, which will be organised by the single buyer AU, are due to take place in the coming months, and the service will be operational by April 2008.
The price of the power offered in the auctions will be equal to the market price, plus specific service costs, read a ministry statement.
In selecting the most suitable power suppliers in the auction, the AU will focus on a series of criteria – notably, the compatibility of areas to be covered for each customer.
The auctions are aimed at attracting as many interested suppliers as possible, while assuring companies adequate supply until they switch provider.
Meanwhile, these companies will continue to be covered by local distribution companies or their own supplier, based on prices and conditions that must be made public by each sales company. DL
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