Next week the Council of Ministers is expected to approve the new bill decree, an intervention designed to lighten the burden of electricity and gas supplies on Italian families. At the center of the measure is an allocation of 315 million euros, intended for the 2026 electricity social bonus, which provides for an extraordinary contribution of 90 euros for each family entitled to the bonus.
The provision is not limited to the beneficiaries of the bonus: energy sellers will, in fact, be able to recognize extraordinary contributions even to domestic customers who do not have the bonus, as long as their annual ISEE does not exceed 25 thousand euros, thus extending the support to a wider audience.
How extraordinary contributions will work
According to the draft decree, the extraordinary contribution for incomes up to 25 thousand euros will cover the Energy Price component referring to consumption in the first two months of the year. The consumption taken into consideration must be less than 0.5 MWh for the two-month period, and less than 3 MWh in the previous twelve months, ensuring that the help reaches those who really need it. The ARERA (Regulatory Authority for Energy, Networks and the Environment) will have to issue a resolution within 30 days of the entry into force of the decree, establishing the operating methods for the disbursement of contributions.
A multi-level intervention
In addition to the social bonus, the decree provides measures to support the competitiveness of companies and encourage decarbonisation, strengthen interconnection infrastructures with foreign countries, encourage the connection of renewable plants to the network, reduce general system costs linked to bioenergy and facilitate the authorization and construction of data centres. This is a complex package that aims not only to support families, but also to strengthen the country’s energy resilience and encourage a more sustainable transition.
The economic value of the social electricity bonus
The 2026 electricity social bonus of 90 euros represents a concrete relief for those who already benefit from the support, but the decree goes further, trying to offer targeted help to medium-low incomes. The allocation of 315 million euros will be covered by the resources of the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security, without new burdens for the State. With this decree, the Government attempts to provide a balance between immediate help to families and structural interventions on the energy system, responding to rising prices and market volatility.
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