Italy's gas use climbs 3% as European fuel prices hit record levels
Gas consumption in Italy rose by 3% in June 2026 compared with the same month a year earlier, driven mainly by the thermoelectric sector, whose gas use jumped 11% year‑on‑year. Italy’s highly inter‑connected gas network – with ten entry points and five LNG terminals – has helped the country maintain supply stability despite geopolitical volatility, keeping storage levels above 70% of capacity and making Italy the EU leader in stored gas volumes.
The tightening of supply routes in the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea has pushed global oil prices higher, with Brent trading above $94 per barrel. The surge has been reflected at the pump: in Italy diesel now exceeds €2.10 per litre and gasoline is close to €2.00, while in the Netherlands diesel has risen sharply and German fuel prices have also spiked. The TTF gas contract in Europe reached its highest level since March, gaining around 3.5% after an attack on a tanker in Hormuz.
Consumers in Italy’s Siena province report difficulty finding fuel and higher travel costs, and Italian transport operators warn that rising diesel prices threaten the profitability of freight businesses. Across Europe, the combination of heightened geopolitical risk, limited diesel inventories and strong summer demand is driving a new wave of energy price inflation.