Flood in Tuscany, Arera suspends payment of bills

While the damage count continues in Tuscany, with the governor Eugenio Giani speaking of two billion in the municipalities most affected by the flood of November 2nd, the first concrete signs of support for the affected populations are arriving. The signal was given by Arera, the energy authority, which in a resolution dated 10 November established the suspension of electricity, gas and water bills in the territories of the provinces of Florence, Livorno, Pisa, Pistoia and Prato ” affected by exceptional meteorological events”. Which ones exactly? Arera postpones the identification to “subsequent measures by the competent authorities”.

All bills issued starting from November 2nd (or already issued expiring on the same date) will therefore be suspended, not only relating to consumption, but also all expenses possibly due for connection, activation, transfer or takeover of an already existing user. Again to meet the needs of citizens, Arera has also decided to “pause” the rules normally applied to defaulting users (which can also lead to the suspension of the energy supply), even if the default is prior to the date of the flood.

The one approved by Arera is an emergency resolution, designed to stem the situation and send a signal to affected citizens and businesses. In fact, several details are missing from the text, first of all the term of the suspension. When will you have to start paying bills again? On this too, the authority refers to subsequent measures, which will start from “extraordinary measures” by the government. The same applies to any plans to pay suspended bills in installments and to possible tariff concessions. Arera had made an identical decision after the flood in Emilia Romagna in the spring of 2023. In that case, the suspension of bills was also extended to the following July.