Italian Minister Pichetto Signals End to Russian Gas Imports by 2027, Aligns with EU Goals
Rome, Italy – May 6, 2025 – Italy’s Minister of the Environment and Energy Security, Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, has reaffirmed the country’s commitment to phasing out Russian gas imports by 2027, in line with the European Union’s REPowerEU Plan. In an interview with La Stampa on May 5, 2025, Pichetto emphasized a clear stance on energy independence, stating, “Gas from Russia? We share Europe’s decision to close by 2027. We need firm and clear positions, or it would seem like a joke.”
Pichetto highlighted Italy’s progress in diversifying energy sources, noting existing contracts with Algeria and Azerbaijan, alongside the operational rigassificatore in Ravenna. “We have secured alternatives,” he said, underscoring Italy’s reduced reliance on Russian gas, which once accounted for nearly 40% of its gas consumption but has dwindled to a fraction since the 2022 Russia-Ukraine conflict. In April 2024, Pichetto announced Italy had fully substituted Russian gas supplies, citing partnerships with African and Eastern suppliers via the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline.
The minister’s comments come amid heightened concerns over energy security following Ukraine’s refusal to renew a gas transit agreement with Russia, which halted Russian gas flows to Europe through Ukraine as of January 1, 2025. This cutoff, described by Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Galushchenko as a “historic event,” has raised fears of potential energy price shocks. Pichetto previously advocated for raising the EU’s gas price cap to €60 per megawatt-hour to mitigate such risks, reflecting Italy’s cautious approach to energy market stability.
While Pichetto acknowledged Italy’s energy transition, he expressed reservations about dismantling coal plants prematurely, stating, “I haven’t signed off on decommissioning coal plants. They’ll be on standby, but how can I trust in dismantling them without future guarantees?” He also emphasized a balanced energy mix, including renewables, nuclear power, and transitional gas, to meet Italy’s growing energy demands, projected to double by 2050.
Pichetto’s vision includes advancing nuclear energy, with plans to select a national nuclear waste repository site by 2027 and pass legislation for small modular reactors. “We’re not returning to large plants like France but focusing on small, cost-effective reactors,” he clarified, aiming for operational reactors by the decade’s end.
The EU’s broader push to end Russian fossil fuel reliance by 2027, as articulated by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in 2022, faces challenges. Some member states, like Hungary, seek to increase Russian gas imports, while Austria, a major recipient of Russian gas via Ukraine, plans to phase out imports by 2027. Italy’s proactive diversification and infrastructure investments position it favorably, but Pichetto’s cautious optimism reflects the complex balance between energy security, affordability, and environmental goals.
As Italy navigates this transition, Pichetto’s leadership signals a pragmatic yet ambitious path toward energy independence, with 2027 as a critical deadline to sever ties with Russian gas.