PRESS RELEASE

ENERGY FROM RENEWABLE RESOURCES:  ANTITRUST AUTHORITY - TOO MANY REGIONAL RESTRICTIONS - ACCELERATE APPROVAL OF NATIONAL GUIDELINES ON PROTECTING COMPETITION

The proposed scheme is positive but requires modifications to prevent discrimination among operators. Report submitted to the Government, the State-Regions Conference and Regional Presidents.


Regional regulations lack a common denominator with respect to electricity production from renewable resources, and this has created discordant regulatory contexts characterized by direct and indirect obstacles to market access and unwarranted distortions in competition among operators in different parts of the country.
The Antitrust report recommends rapid approval of the national Guidelines, which the competent ministries have already shared in draft form with the interested economic parties, Regions and local authorities. According to the Antitrust Authority, these guidelines should be sufficient to overcome specific difficulties that have hindered the full development of energy production from renewable resources. As a whole, they are already consistent with the goals of lifting restrictions on access to the production of energy from renewable resources and resolving various disparities witnessed in the local authorization processes for such operations. Certain specific provisions, however, require further refinement.
In particular, the Guidelines need to include indications regarding the maximum preliminary fees that can be requested by local Municipalities.  Instead of flat rates, such fees should instead be scaled to projected annual production or installed power in order to eliminate this form of discrimination against smaller power plants. To incentivize competition between different prospective locations, it would also be advisable to introduce greater transparency in regards to the contributions required by individual administrations.
In addition, according to the Antitrust Authority, the surety deposit for eventual power plant dismantlement needs to be calculated by independent, duly qualified third parties so as to ensure the objective determination of the size of sureties on the basis of actual projected costs for the operations. Lastly, the Guidelines should seize this opportunity to specify general principles for the Regions to follow while determining their compensation.  If fees could be quantified in reference to objective criteria, this would help avoid restrictions on market access and geography-based discrimination against operators.


Rome, 19 April 2010