A study by TEHA Group and Italy’s national electric transmission system operator Terna has found that every euro invested in Italy’s national transmission grid generates €1.31 in GDP and €2.98 in production value. The report, titled “Energy Security and Independence,” was presented in Rome to highlight the economic impact of grid modernisation.

The study indicates that investments planned under Terna’s Industrial Plan will translate into €35 billion in production value and €16.2 billion in GDP. These activities are expected to support the creation of approximately 40,000 jobs annually.

Terna operates the largest independent electricity transmission system network in Europe, operating over 75,000 km across Italy’s high and extra-high voltage grid.

Key findings on the Italian energy landscape include:

• Renewable generation: Reached approximately 50% of national production by 2025
• Cost reduction: Solar and wind generation costs decreased by 90% and 70% respectively since 2010
• Transmission costs: Italy’s cost of 11.2 euros/MWh is lower than the European average of 16.5 euros/MWh
• Future capacity: Terna’s ten-year plan calls for €23 billion in investment by 2034 to add 15 GW of exchange capacity

Giuseppina Di Foggia, CEO of Terna, said the transmission grid is the primary lever for the country’s energy independence and for containing prices for consumers. The study also noted that Italy’s unit cost per GW for integrating new renewable generation is approximately half that of Germany, France, and the UK.

The report suggests that while renewables are essential for short-term security, a balanced mix including 10-15% low-emission programmable technologies will be required by 2040-2050 to ensure system stability. Terna manages the high-voltage national transmission grid and is responsible for its planning and maintenance.