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Italy waits for EU clearance on $5.2 bln tariff to cover gas storage expenses, sources say

Italy's energy authority is awaiting clearness from the European Union on whether a planned tariff to cover expenses of gas storage filling, possibly worth 4.8 billion euros ($ 5.18 billion), is in compliance with the single market rules, 2 sources stated on Thursday.

The tariff is similar to one introduced by Germany in 2022 however that is now being took a look at by the EU's energy regulator ACER to see whether it breaches EU competitors rules. ACER's. findings are due to be presented to the European Commission in. the coming weeks and might impact Italy's plans.

Italy's energy regulator ARERA revealed the so-called. neutrality charge, a cost weighing on gas going through the. affiliation points of domestic and global grids, in. December and aimed to make it reliable from April.

Among the 2 sources, both of whom asked not to be called,. told that ARERA hoped the EU would quickly clarify its. position on the matter.

The European Commission's energy department (DG ENER), which. asked ACER to investigate the German tariff, has actually been in touch. with the Italian regulator to get a better understanding of the. design of the planned measure, a spokesperson for the EU's. executive said. The representative stressed that tariffs need to. abide by the EU legal structure.

Both the German tariff and the one proposed in Italy are a. legacy of the European energy crisis that peaked in 2022 after. Moscow cut gas circulations to Europe following its intrusion of Ukraine. and an undersea explosion shut the Nord Stream pipeline from. Russia to Germany - the route for 15% of Europe's gas imports.

ARERA said this month that amazing efforts to inject. gas into Italian storage sites in 2022 had an estimated cost of. 6.7 billion euros, of which 4.8 billion euros would require to be. covered through the neutrality charge.

The tariff, approximated at 2.19 euros per MWh, set off. wide-spread criticism from market operators throughout assessment. talks with ARERA that concluded last month.

Before Germany introduced its levy, ACER and the Council of. European Energy Regulators (CEER) said that EU countries could. not impose additional cross-border charges to recover costs.

ARERA said in December that it originally planned to cover. expenses of 2022 storage filling by charging Italian customers so. As to prevent distorting impacts in cross-border gas trade. the German move triggered it to revise its preliminary stance.

(source: Reuters)