Latest News

Fearing price relocations, Italy to act rapidly to build gas stockpiles

Italy plans to make an early start on filling tactical gas stockpiles in 2025, the nation's. energy minister stated on Thursday, as Rome anticipates gas wholesale. prices to increase higher in the summer.

Gas is normally bought and kept in between April and October. when demand and costs are lower, to be offered later in winter season. when rates rise.

But Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin said in parliament. Rome would start filling treatments as early as February to. play it safe of getting caught out by unusual price movements.

Due to continuous geopolitical stress and possible. speculation, there is a threat for 2025 that wholesale gas rates. next summer will be higher than next winter, as held true. throughout the energy crisis of 2022, he included.

Germany is acting in a comparable method as it is studying the. possibility of contractors receiving aids to fill up gas. storage sites.

Fears of an energy shock have increased after Ukraine refused to. renew a gas transit contract with Russia, marking the end of. years of Moscow's dominance on Europe's energy markets.

The benchmark front-month agreement at the Dutch TTF hub. was little changed at 49.67 euros per megawatt hour. ( MWh), hovering near the highest levels for over a year,. according to LSEG data on Thursday.

Pichetto likewise renewed calls for the European Union to extend. an emergency cap on gas prices and avoid a possible energy. cost shock.

Brussels introduced a price limit of 180 euros per megawatt. hour (eur/MWh) in December 2022, after months of cripplingly. high energy prices brought on by Russia slashing gas supplies. following its intrusion of Ukraine.

The scheme has actually never ever started and the European Union. intends to let it expire as arranged at the end of this month.

We are campaigning for structural mechanisms to be put in. place to avoid speculation from increasing gas prices on the. TTF, Pichetto said.

(source: Reuters)