Terna: agreement with Greenpeace Italia, Legambiente and WWF for increasingly sustainable electricity infrastructure

TERNA: AGREEMENT WITH GREENPEACE ITALIA,

LEGAMBIENTE AND WWF FOR INCREASINGLY SUSTAINABLE

ELECTRICITY INFRASTRUCTURE

Objective of the new collaboration protocols: even "greener" and integrated grids in the local

areas to facilitate authorisation procedures and accelerate the energy transition

Rome, 14 February 2023 - Terna, the Italian transmission grid operator, has signed new Memoranda of Understanding with environmental associations for the development and construction of increasingly sustainable electricity infrastructure, integrated into the local areas and respectful of the environment and biodiversity. Today in Rome, the Chairwoman of Terna, Valentina Bosetti, the President of Greenpeace Italia, Ivan Novelli, the President of Legambiente, Stefano Ciafani, and the President of WWF Italia, Luciano di Tizio, renewed and further extended the existing collaboration established in recent years between them for the next 3 years.

Specifically, the collaboration between Terna, Greenpeace Italia, Legambiente and WWF Italia aims at an increasingly ambitious improvement of the environmental sustainability of the ten-year development plan of the Italian transmission grid and of Terna's business plan, with a view to the decarbonisation of the electricity system, also through concrete and constant dialogue and institutional discussion on subjects and measures of mutual interest.

The agreements between the company led by the CEO Stefano Donnarumma and the environmental associations will make it possible to start a conversation on future energy scenarios and on the technological innovations of the electricity grids to support renewable energy sources, on the basis of the objectives set by European legislative packages and national directives contained in the PNIEC and in the NRRP. Furthermore, they will serve to focus attention on the integration, in local planning, of the other resources necessary for the energy transition, i.e. storage systems and sustainable energy sources, in particular offshore wind farms. The agreements have the objective of increasing, as far as possible, and monitoring the level of integration of environmental criteria within the Integrated Planning process for the development of the electricity grid, also evaluating the definition of new performance indicators, where current legislation is not yet sufficiently challenging from the point of view of environmental sustainability. Lastly, the parties undertake to act on the regulatory aspects that allow for the acceleration of authorisations of the infrastructure works deemed necessary to achieve the ecological transition within the timescales envisaged by national policies and in compliance with electricity service security and quality requirements.

"Today it is more necessary than ever to promote and implement all possible initiatives to further disseminate and increase the culture of sustainability in the energy field. Terna, as director of the energy transition, has always been committed to the environmentally sustainable development of grid infrastructures, through an innovative approach based on continuous discussion and sharing with all stakeholders which benefits local communities and territories. The renewed collaboration with Greenpeace Italia, Legambiente and WWF Italia will allow us to continue along the path we have been on for years to make the planning and construction choices of works in the area in an increasingly sustainable way, and to protect the environmental and biodiversity heritage in our country" stated Valentina Bosetti, Chairwoman of Terna.

"Decarbonisation strategies see the electricity sector at the centre of a decisive industrial transformation to fight the climate crisis. Terna's role as a public company is central, due to the relevant function performed by the transmission grid. This is why it is important for us to continue to discuss, updating an already tested protocol, the choices and strategies suitable for ushering in this great transformation" stated Ivan Novelli, President of Greenpeace Italia.

"Today, more than ever, it is essential that our country invests more and more in innovation, environmental sustainability, renewables and efficiency in the name of that ecological and energy transition, on which Europe itself has repeatedly asked the Member States to speed up. Investing in these sectors means making an important contribution to the fight against the climate crisis, helping the planet, but also local communities and giving an important boost to the local economy all at the same time. It is with this spirit that this new protocol has been signed with Terna, WWF Italia and Greenpeace Italia, which will see us work together on several fronts and aims to have green and integrated grids in the local areas" stated Stefano Ciafani, National President of Legambiente.

"We have a few years to face a great challenge: that of decarbonising our energy system which must accelerate its transition towards a model based on renewable sources. This process, which is essential to respond to the climate crisis of which we are already paying the consequences today and to improve our energy security, requires collaboration between the world of environmentalism, that of companies and institutions. The renewed agreement with Terna provides for a discussion on grid planning strategies with a view to greater sustainability, with the aim of safeguarding natural systems, whose degradation must be stemmed", stated Luciano di Tizio, President of WWF Italia.