Trento Province Offers Free Electricity to Public Utilities Amid Legal Dispute

The Province of Trento, thanks to one of the provisions outlined in the Statuto di autonomia, enjoys, among other privileges, a substantial amount of electricity at zero cost, equivalent to a percentage of the electricity generated annually by the power plants located within its territory.

In a recent resolution, the provincial government decided to acquire this energy to then distribute it free of charge to public utilities (wastewater treatment plants, hospitals, tunnels, roads, offices…) directly (and not, as we will see) under its jurisdiction, instead of monetizing it, as has been historically done until now.

Reactions and Contests to the Resolution

Opposing this resolution are Altogarda Servizi di Riva and Azienda Multiservizi Energia ed Acqua di Pergine Valsugana, two of the largest electricity distributors in Trento.

They filed an appeal with the Tar contesting the legitimacy of the measure, not in its entirety (which, in any case, follows the main principles of the reform underway at the national level), but specifically regarding the decision to include municipal utilities among the beneficiaries of this energy bonus, namely the utilities to which AGS and AMEA supply “their” electricity.

A sort of ? Simplifying, yes. To give an idea: the Province has available each year approximately 150 million kW/h, a bit more than twice the amount of kW/h consumed annually by all utilities in Riva and Arco.

According to the directors and legal representatives of AGS and AMEA, the decision made by the provincial government is unlawful, and they explain their reasons in a very detailed and complex appeal.

Among others, the mayors of Riva and Pergine, Malossini and Anderle, discussed these issues, meeting just last night at the Municipio di Riva, and agreed on a common stance regarding the “dispute” with the provincial councilor Roberto Pinter.