Minor islands, Pantelleria requests derogation from electricity market rules

Last Updated: May 15, 2024

The article talks about a request from Pantelleria for a meeting between the Italian Ministry of the Environment and the European Commission to discuss a derogation from EU directives on the electricity market for smaller islands. The Uniem association, representing the operators of electricity systems on small Italian islands, made this request during the Forum 2024 organized by the Clean Energy for EU Islands Secretariat. The President of Uniem, Alessandro Bianco, explains that the current rules in Italy do not adequately address the specific environmental needs of smaller, non-interconnected islands. The article mentions that residents of smaller islands in Italy, around 32 thousand people, are considered “vulnerable” users who require special tariffs for electricity. However, due to the unique characteristics of smaller islands, it is not possible to open up these territories to the electricity market. The article highlights that similar derogations have already been granted to Spain, Portugal, and some islands in Greece at the request of their respective national governments.