Italy to cut gas usage in bid to weather energy crisis

Italy plans to turn down the heating in homes and businesses to help cut gas consumption by around 5.3 billion cubic meters to reduce the risks associated with a total interruption of gas flows from Russia, the government’s saving plan showed on Tuesday.

The move comes at a time when energy prices have jumped following Mosco’s invasion of Ukraine and supplies have been curtailed.

The government plans to drop the heating temperature by 1 degree Celsius in industrial and residential buildings, the document said.

Rome is also in talks with industrial lobby Confindustria to agree a further reduction in gas consumption on a voluntary basis, it added.