Record fine for Enel and Eni for Abusive Commercial Practices

In Italy, the Antitrust Authority fines Enel and Eni 15 million euros for illegally raising energy prices.

Share:

Amendes record contre pratiques abusives

Italy’s energy market was recently rocked by a decision from the country’s competition regulator, Antitrust. At a time when consumers are increasingly sensitive to fluctuations in energy prices, the authority has imposed severe penalties on several energy suppliers for practices deemed abusive.

Enel and Eni’s Contested Tariff Practices

Enel and Eni are at the heart of this controversy. Enel, with a fine of 10 million euros, and Eni, penalized to the tune of 5 million, are accused of having unilaterally modified the energy tariffs of more than four million consumers. This decision, based on contractual clauses allowing price revisions, was deemed contrary to the standards set by the Antitrust Authority.

Regulatory Challenges in a Changing Energy Market

This situation reveals the growing tensions between energy suppliers and regulators in a changing market. The stakes are high: protecting consumers’ interests while ensuring a fair competitive environment. The Antitrust ruling, while specific to Italy, raises broader questions about the regulation of energy markets in Europe and elsewhere.
Other companies sanctioned, albeit to a lesser extent, include Acea Energia, Iberdrola Clienti Italia, Dolomiti Energia and Edison Energia. These penalties range from 560,000 euros to 5,000 euros, reflecting different levels of seriousness in their practices. Antitrust characterized these practices as “aggressive”, highlighting the use of commercial tactics to condition consumers to accept price increases.

Various penalties for other players in the energy market

The situation is all the more critical as Italy, like many other countries, is going through a difficult economic period, exacerbated by the war in Ukraine. The Italian government had introduced measures to control electricity and gas prices between August 10, 2022 and June 30, 2023. However, the companies concerned went beyond this regulation, sending their customers letters suggesting acceptance of new pricing conditions, resulting in significantly higher invoices.

Reactions and Implications for Enel and Eni in the Regulatory Context

In response, Enel has stated that it intends to appeal the decision, claiming that it will scrupulously comply with the law. For its part, Eni, also in the firing line, has indicated that it will examine the Antitrust ruling in detail before deciding how to proceed.
This case highlights the growing complexity of energy market regulation. On the one hand, companies are seeking to maximize their profits in a highly competitive sector. On the other hand, regulators and governments are responsible for protecting consumers and keeping prices affordable, especially in times of crisis.
The scale of the fines imposed underlines the perceived seriousness of the offences, and sends a strong message to the industry as a whole. As the debate on energy market regulation continues, this decision could have repercussions far beyond Italy’s borders.

The Italian Antitrust Authority’s decision against Enel and Eni highlights the tension between maximizing corporate profits and protecting consumers in a changing energy market.

Nearly USD92bn will be invested by major American and international groups in new data centres and energy infrastructure, responding to the surge in electricity demand linked to the rise of artificial intelligence.
Nouakchott has endured lengthy power interruptions for several weeks, highlighting the financial and technical limits of the Mauritanian Electricity Company as Mauritania aims to widen access and green its mix by 2030.
Between 2015 and 2024, four multilateral climate funds committed nearly eight bn USD to clean energy, attracting private capital through concessional terms while Africa and Asia absorbed more than half of the volume.
The Global Energy Policies Hub shows that strategic reserves, gas obligations, cybersecurity and critical-mineral policies are expanding rapidly, lifting oil coverage to 98 % of world imports.
According to a report by Ember, the Chinese government’s appliance trade-in campaign could double residential air-conditioner efficiency gains in 2025 and trim up to USD943mn from household electricity spending this year.
Washington is examining sectoral taxes on polysilicon and drones, two supply chains dominated by China, after triggering Section 232 to measure industrial dependency risks.
The 2025-2034 development plan presented by Terna includes strengthening Sicily’s grid, new interconnections, and major projects to support the region’s growing renewable energy capacity.
Terna and NPC Ukrenergo have concluded a three-year partnership in Rome aimed at strengthening the integration of the Ukrainian grid into the pan-European system, with an in-depth exchange of technological and regulatory expertise.
GE Vernova has secured a major contract to modernise the Kühmoos substation in Germany, enhancing grid reliability and integration capacity for power flows between Germany, France and Switzerland.
The National Energy System Operator forecasts electricity demand to rise to 785 TWh by 2050, underlining the need to modernise grids and integrate more clean energy to support the UK’s energy transition.
Terna has signed a guarantee agreement with SACE and the European Investment Bank to finance the Adriatic Link project, totalling approximately €1bn ($1.08bn) and validated as a major transaction under Italian regulations.
India unveils a series of reforms on oil and gas contracts, introducing a fiscal stability clause to enhance the sector’s attractiveness for foreign companies and boost its growth ambitions in upstream energy.
The European Commission is launching a special fund of EUR2.3bn ($2.5bn) to boost Ukraine’s reconstruction and attract private capital to the energy and infrastructure sectors.
Asia dominated global new renewable energy capacity in 2024 with 71% of installations, while Africa recorded limited growth of only 7.2%, according to the latest annual report from IRENA.
US President Donald Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act dramatically changes energy investment rules, imposing restrictions on renewables while favouring hydrocarbons, according to a recent report by consultancy firm Wood Mackenzie.
On July 8, 2025, the Senate validated the Gremillet bill, aimed at structuring France's energy transition with clear objectives for nuclear power, renewable energies, and energy renovation.
Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, and Peru significantly increase renewable electricity production, reaching nearly 70% of the regional electricity mix, according to a recent Wood Mackenzie study on Latin America's energy sector.
The Canadian government announces an investment of more than $40mn to fund 13 energy projects led by Indigenous communities across the country, aiming to improve energy efficiency and increase local renewable energy use.
The German Ministry of Economy plans to significantly expand aid aimed at reducing industrial electricity costs, increasing eligible companies from 350 to 2,200, at an estimated cost of €4bn ($4.7bn).
A major electricity blackout paralyzed large parts of the Czech Republic, interrupting transport and essential networks, raising immediate economic concerns, and highlighting the vulnerability of energy infrastructures to unforeseen technical incidents.