(ANSA) - ROME, SEP 16 - Premier Mario Draghi's government was at work on Thursday to avert a 40% hike in energy prices that Ecological Transition Minister Roberto Cingolani has said households risk facing this autumn.
Draghi, Cingolani and Economy Minister Daniele Franco had a meeting on Thursday to discuss ways to stop the huge price rises, sources said.
The government is unlikely to present a solution on Thursday, the sources said, adding that there is time until the end of September to stop the hikes kicking in.
"The method for calculating energy bills needs rewriting and that is what we are doing at the moment," Cingolani told RAI radio.
When talking about the possible hikes this week, Cingolani blamed the higher price of gas, which is also frequently used to generate electricity, as well as carbon pricing, which is meant to be a econmic disincentive to use the fossil fuels that are driving the climate crisis.
This led to criticism from several environmental groups.
On Thursday, however, Cingolani stressed the need to "accelerate with the installation of renewables, so that we unhook ourselves as soon as possible form the cost of gas". (ANSA).
Govt at work to avert energy-price hikes
Cingolani has said electricity bills could go up by 40%