As the Italian authorities explain, this is not a change of course, but a strategic fuse that will be triggered when gas prices get out of control.
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Italy allows a return to coal. This is the safety limit
The Minister of the Environment and Energy Security, Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, made it clear: Italy has a “line of resistance”. If the price of gas on the markets exceeds the ceiling of EUR 70 per megawatt hour, the government may order the restoration of coal-fired power plants.
Currently, the situation seems stable – the raw material costs about EUR 40 per MWh – but the authorities prefer to play it safe.
— Returning to coal is not a standard course of action, but an emergency measure, emphasized Minister Fratin, adding that the priority is to protect consumers against drastic price increases.
These power plants are available
As it turns out, Italy does not need to build new infrastructure to return to coal. There are four key features on the Italian Peninsula and islands: two operational power plants in Sardinia and one power plant each in Civitavecchia and Brindisi, which have been shut down but not decommissioned.
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These facilities are maintained in a state of technical readiness. In the event of a crisis, after completing administrative formalities, they can quickly return to the national energy system as a “strategic reserve”.
Safety over ecology?
The decision to keep coal “on alert” goes hand in hand with the revision of Italy's climate goals. Rome has officially postponed the deadline for completely abandoning this fuel by 13 years – the new cut-off date is 2038.
The direct impetus for this change is the growing uncertainty in the Middle East, which threatens the stability of blue fuel supplies. The Italian authorities argue that in times of crisis, the energy security of citizens must come before stringent ecological requirements.
