The Sicilian Region demands a discussion with Enel regarding the blackout in Palermo: Confcommercio also rises in protest.

Last Updated: July 23, 2023

Blackout a Palermo, la Regione Siciliana chiede un confronto con l'Enel: insorge anche Confcommercio

#Palermo
The Sicilian Region is requesting a meeting with Enel to discuss the continuous blackouts in Palermo. The regional assessor for Economic Activities, Edy Tamajo, argues that the unanticipated heatwave should not be causing such inconvenience to businesses and residents. He questions why a task force was not immediately put in place to address the issues and why this recurring problem during the summer months has never been resolved. He also questions why a multinational company like Enel, which demands high payment for electricity bills from businesses and residents, cannot put an end to this issue. Tamajo plans to raise these questions in a parliamentary inquiry and request a meeting with the company’s top executives.

The local branch of Confcommercio, an association of business owners, seizes the opportunity to express their concerns. Patrizia Di Dio, president of Confcommercio Palermo and vice president at the national level, highlights the severe economic damage suffered by thousands of businesses due to the continuous and unplanned power outages. She describes the halting or slowing down of production cycles, damages to machinery caused by voltage fluctuations, and food businesses having to discard spoiled goods due to malfunctioning refrigerators. Di Dio states that legal action is being considered to seek compensation for the affected companies and to secure commitments for necessary investments in the electrical grid. She describes the situation as an emergency for the region’s economy.

Di Dio adds that once again, due to the incompetence and indifference of the political class, Sicily has been relegated to a third-world status, evident not only in the power outages but also in the areas of transportation and infrastructure. The business community has no intention of silently enduring these issues any longer. She asserts that no one, including the assessor, can claim that this is an exceptional problem, as it has occurred in previous years and will likely happen again next year due to the inadequate distribution network. Di Dio criticizes the lack of modernization efforts in the past 15 years or more, despite businesses shouldering significant increases in electricity bills. She concludes by demanding that businesses, especially those facing rising energy costs, have the right to receive a reliable and problem-free essential public service.