The energy storage situation in Italy is solid. This despite the strong tensions on international markets, triggered by the conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran. A geopolitical context that has caused gas and oil prices to soar, with heavy repercussions on energy costs for families, motorists and transporters. Here is a complete picture of the situation, including strategic reserves, tariffs and government measures.
Italy is second in Europe in terms of filling levels
The gas injection season into storage began at the beginning of April. The objective, set by the Regulatory Authority for Energy, Networks and the Environment (Arera), is to reach a filling level of at least 90% by the end of October, in view of the 2026-2027 winter.
Italy starts from an advantageous position compared to the European average. As of 2 April, according to Gas Infrastructure Europe (Gie), the filling level of Italian reserves was 44.49% (88.24 TWh), well above the EU average, which stands at 27.6% (314.2 TWh). In Europe, Portugal leads the ranking with 88.28%, followed by Spain with 57.49%. Among the main countries, Poland stands at 43.24%, just above Italy.
- Portugal — 88.28%;
- Spain — 57.49%;
- Italy — 44.49%;
- Poland — 43.24%;
- Denmark — 37.29%;
- Great Britain — 37.14%;
- Austria — 34.13%;
- Bulgaria — 33.83%;
- Hungary — 32.38%;
- Czech Republic — 29.75%;
- Belgium — 25.52%;
- Romania — 23.84%;
- Latvia — 22.97%;
- Slovakia — 22.42%;
- France — 22.06%;
- Germany — 21.9%;
- Norway — 17.45%;
- Ukraine — 16.83%;
- Croatia — 14.75%;
- Sweden — 9.9%;
- Netherlands — 4.64%.
The comparison with the major European partners is significant: Germany, which for months had held the record for inventories, now has deposits only 21.9% full (55.68 TWh), while France is slightly higher, at 22.06% (25.51 TWh).
At the end of March, the average daily flow to EU storage was still slightly negative (-0.05%), due to a winter characterized by unfavorable weather conditions and prolonged withdrawals. In Italy, however, the flow has already returned to positive (+0.11%), an encouraging sign.
Skyrocketing bills, gas +19.2%
If reserves hold up, the same cannot be said for Italians’ pockets. Arera communicated a 19.2% increase in the gas tariff for vulnerable users (around 2.3 million low-income families, elderly people and residents in disadvantaged areas), directly linked to the military escalation in the Middle East.
On the electricity front, the tariff for the same users in the second quarter of 2026 rose by 8.1% compared to the previous quarter. According to the consumer associations Unione Nazionale Consumatori and Codacons, with these increases the annual energy expenditure of a vulnerable user will reach 2,046 euros: 1,441 euros for gas and 605 euros for electricity, with an increase of 232 euros for gas alone.
Because Europe risks paying dearly for the crisis in the Middle East
The European Union is not on the brink of an immediate energy crisis, but the risk is more insidious: not so much the availability of gas, but its cost. The Bruegel think tank underlines this:
Europe’s vulnerability lies entirely in its dependence on imports. With more intense global competition, especially with Asia, prices could rise rapidly. A doubling of the price of gas would lead to an increase in Europe’s energy bill of around 100 billion euros in a year.
Since the start of the conflict in the Middle East, the price of gas in the EU has already increased by 70%, adding around 14 billion euros to fossil fuel import spending in the first month alone.
The European Commission is working on a package of measures, including interventions on network tariffs, Power Purchase Agreements and Contracts for Difference. However, neither a precise timing nor a definitive strategy have yet been defined.
