Italian heating laws: when do they turn the heat on in Italy? Italy is to introduce new heating restrictions for the winter, and as the energy crisis deepens, limits are to be put in place.
Winter gas saving measures in Italy
Winter gas saving measures in Italy GTRES

Italy, much like the rest of Europe, is in for a tough winter. With plans being made to save energy, the Italian government has released details on how heating will be limited this winter in the country. As stipulated in the National Plan for the Containment of Natural Gas Consumption published by Mite, the Minister for Ecological Transition, Roberto Cingolani, signed the decree determining the new calendar, with dates and times, for switching on the heating in 2022. So, when can the heating be turned on in Italy this winter? These are Italy's heating rules for 2022

When can you turn on your heating in Italy this year?

Italy heating restrictions: to regulate the switching on of heating and radiators in Italy this winter 2022, reference is made to the different zones or climate zones into which Italy is divided, ranging from the coldest to the hottest. This is therefore not a division strictly by regions, but rather divided by zones.

Italy's climate zones range from Zone A to Zone F. This is the subdivision of the municipalities by climatic zones:

  • Zone A: Lampedusa, Linosa, Porto Empedocle.
  • Zone B: Agrigento, Catania, Crotone, Messina, Palermo, Reggio Calabria, Siracusa, Trapani.
  • Zone C: Bari, Benevento, Brindisi, Cagliari, Caserta, Catanzaro, Cosenza, Imperia, Latina, Lecce, Naples, Oristano, Ragusa, Salerno, Sassari, Taranto.
  • Zone D: Ancona, Ascoli Piceno, Avellino, Caltanissetta, Chieti, Firenze, Foggia, Forl, Genova, Grosseto, Isernia, La Spezia, Livorno, Lucca, Macerata, Massa, Carrara, Matera, Nuoro, Pesaro, Pescara, Pisa, Pistoia, Prato, Roma, Savona, Siena, Teramo, Terni, Verona, Vibo Valentia, Viterbo.
  • Zone E: Alessandria, Aosta, Arezzo, Asti, Bergamo, Biella, Bologna, Bolzano, Brescia, Campobasso, Como, Cremona, Enna, Ferrara, Cesena, Frosinone, Gorizia, L'Aquila, Lecco, Lodi, Mantova, Milano, Modena, Novara, Padova, Parma, Pavia, Perugia, Piacenza, Pordenone, Potenza, Ravenna, Reggio Emilia, Rieti, Rimini, Rovigo, Sondrio, Torino, Trento, Treviso, Trieste, Udine, Varese, Venezia, Verbania, Vercelli, Vicenza.
  • Zone F: Belluno, Cuneo.

When is it possible to turn on the heating in each zone?

According to Italy's new heating rules, the switching on of heating this winter 2022 will be arranged as follows:

  • Zone A: 5 hours daily from 8th December to 7th March;
  • Zone B: 7 hours daily from 8th December to 23rd March;
  • Zone C: 9 hours daily from 22nd November to 23rd March;
  • Zone D: 11 hours daily from 8th November to 7th April;
  • Zone E: 13 hours daily from 22nd October to 7th April;
  • Zone F: no restrictions.

Why have these restrictions been introduced in Italy?

The idea behind these restrictions, as explained by MPs, is to save as much gas as possible, amidst fears of a shortage due to Russia's war on Ukraine. If properly implemented, these new energy regulations could save Italy up to 2.7 million cubic metres of gas, according to Italian energy efficiency agency ENEA. As stated by the Italian Government, the period of switching on central heating in 2022 is 'reduced by one hour per day and the operating period of the winter season 2022-2023 is shortened by 15 days, postponing the start date by 8 days and bringing forward the end date by 7'.