But what are the characteristics of the free market?
The free market allows you to freely choose your electricity and natural gas seller, rather than being served with greater protection under the contractual and economic conditions set by the Regulatory Authority for Energy, Networks and the Environment (ARERA).
If you wish to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the free market, it is possible to make the switch easily and free of charge, maintaining the continuity of the service without interruptions.
The free market offers you flexibility because you can:
With Enel Energia you have the advantage of having a single supplier to talk to and manage the products and services you want to activate:
- offers for power and gas at fixed or variable prices;
- ultra-fast internet with Enel Fibra
at a discounted price if you are already a customer or want to become one. Enel Fibra was elected Product of the Year 2024 for innovation (Circanana research on 12,000 consumers, on selection of services dottodellanno.it cat. FIBER TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES.); - energy efficiency products and services from Enel Energia with formidable prices on air conditioners, boilers, photovoltaics and electric mobility. Exclusive services such as «10-year All risk insurance» on the solar range and innovative products such as balcony photovoltaics;
- Bolletta Web service to receive the bill at the email address you prefer. It's smart, sustainable and free;
- flexible and digital payment methods such as direct debit from current account, credit card, PagoPA notice;
- Enel Energia App to independently manage your supplies, activate new offers, monitor your consumption and much more;
- e-monitor, the free monitoring tool to check the consumption of each household appliance and optimize the use of electricity.
Discover all advantages of the free market of energy.
Who can switch to the free market and how
You are free to choose the offers for the electricity or gas supply proposed by the sales companies that operate on the free market in competition with each other. By choosing one of these offers, signing the contract, you automatically move to the free market.
How much does it cost to switch to the free market
Changing sellers does not involve any costs, with the exception of any costs associated with signing the contract, such as stamp duty and security deposit (which is charged only if the payment of bills is not domiciled on a payment card, bank account, postal account or Paypal).
Gradual Protection Service
The Gradual Protection Service (STG) is the service introduced by ARERA, with Resolution 362/2023/R/eel, to accompany the passage of domestic customers not vulnerable to the free electricity market, following the removal of the Greater Protection service.
Starting from 1/07/2024 all non-vulnerable domestic customers who do not have a seller on the free market.
For further information consult the dedicated article.
Vulnerable domestic customers
Vulnerable domestic electricity and gas customers are considered to be those who fall into one of the following conditions:
- are over the age of 75;
- benefit from a social bonus for economic hardship (for further details consult our section dedicated to the social bonus) pursuant to article 1, paragraph 75, of law 124/17;
- are in serious health conditions that require the use of medical-therapeutic equipment powered by electricity (or where there are people in such conditions);
- are subjects with disabilities pursuant to article 3 of law 104/92;
- are holders of a supply located in an emergency housing facility;
- have a user on a smaller, non-interconnected island (only for domestic customers with an electricity supply).
Vulnerable domestic customers provided in the enhanced protection service will continue to be served, even after 1 July 2024, in the Enhanced Protection Service.
What is the Greater Protection Service
It is the electricity supply service reserved for customers who have chosen not to enter the free market; the contractual and economic conditions are established by the Regulatory Authority for Energy, Networks and the Environment (ARERA) and are updated quarterly in the greater electricity protection service.
If the non-vulnerable domestic customer does not sign up for an offer in the free market, starting from July 2024, his supply will automatically pass, without any interruption, to the Service to Gradual Protections (STG); in this Service the contractual and economic conditions will be defined by ARERA also on the basis of the outcomes of competitive procedures.
In any case, the non-vulnerable domestic customer can withdraw at any time from the enhanced protection service and take up a free market offer.
For more information, read our article on electricity and gas protection.
What is the difference between free market and enhanced protection service
The difference lies in consumers' choice of electricity seller.
- Free market: consumers freely choose their electricity and gas seller and the offer closest to their needs.
- Greater Protection Service/Vulnerability Protection (in gas): consumers use the basic service guaranteed by the supplier under the economic and contractual conditions defined by ARERA.
Learn more in our article on differences between free and protected markets.
Small Businesses
To accompany the transition to the free market of small businesses, connected at low voltage, which as of 1 January 2021 did not have a contract with a supplier on the free market, ARERA introduced the Gradual Protection Service (TSG).
Enel Energia won a public auction and was selected by the Single Buyer as operator of the Gradual Protection Servicefrom 01 July 2024 to 31 March 2027, in these territorial areas:
- Area 3 Lombardy, without the Municipality of Milan;
- Area 5 Municipality of Milan, Liguria, Trentino Alto Adige, Veneto.
For further information, consult the dedicated article.
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