From 1 October 2025 an important novelty has been taken for the electricity market in Italy: the so -called “Quarto di Ora Revolution”. A technical modification that may seem not very relevant but that in reality will have concrete consequences on the bills of families and businesses. Let’s see what it is, what changes and how consumers can possibly take advantage of it.
What is the “Quarto d’Ore Revolution”
Until September, the energy prices were calculated on an hourly basis: every hour of the day he had a unique price on the electric stock exchange. From 1 October, however, the market time unit (Market Time Unit, MTU) has passed to 15 minutes. This means that there are now 96 price intervals per day, instead of the previous 24.
In practice: the cost of electricity is updated four times more often, better reflecting the supply and demand oscillations.
The main reason why this change was made concerns renewable energies. Sources as sunny and wind produce energy in an intermittent and variable way, even on very short intervals. With the prices updated every 15 minutes, the market can therefore react faster to peaks and drops in production, guaranteeing greater stability of the electrical network and reducing waste.
What changes for consumers and the impact on bills
The effects of the quarter of the quarter of an hour are not the same for everyone: much depends on the type of contract you have with your supplier. Specifically:
As for the bills, according to the Arera data relating to the fourth quarter 2025, a vulnerable family with consumption of about 2,000 kWh per year sees the average bill down to 575 euros, about 47 euros less than the previous quarter. However, compared to the same period of 2024, prices are higher than 8.6%, equal to about 46 euros more per year.
In other words, in the short term it is possible to notice a small savings, but the context remains unstable and the costs can still oscillate according to market prices.
What to pay attention to
With the quarter of a quarter of an hour not only the way the energy prices are calculated, but also the relationship of consumers with their own bill. Those who have an indexed contract must keep in mind that the prices will be more variable and that therefore the oscillations, even within a few minutes, will become more frequent. This can translate into advantages if you can move consumption to the right moments, but also in higher costs if you don’t pay attention.
For this reason, it becomes essential to carefully read your supply contract: only in this way can you understand if you are exposed to dynamic prices or if you are protected from a fixed rate, which shelters from oscillations.
We then remind you that new protections are planned for vulnerable customers, the possibility of accessing fixed -a -lasting contracts and the opportunity to participate in energy communities, sharing the energy produced locally and saving on the bill.
How to try to save money
The new organization of energy prices may seem complicated, but in reality it also offers several opportunities for those who know how to manage their consumption with a little attention. Here are some practical tips to transform the quarter of a quarter of an hour into an opportunity for savings:
