What Areti does

Areti S.p.A. is the regulated electricity distribution and measurement operator serving the municipalities of Rome and Formello under an exclusive ARERA-supervised concession. The company operates an 8,241 km medium- and low-voltage network (with high-voltage primary infrastructure) across a 1,300+ km² territory, serving 1.6 million+ supply points and managing 206,090 public lighting points and 11,425 artistic-monumental lighting points, of which 92% of 232,727 total lamps are LED as of December 2024. Areti is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Acea Group, governed by Chairman Tommaso Sabato and CEO Raffaele De Marco, and operates under Italian national energy regulator ARERA's tariff framework.

The technology stack centers on the Rometrix 2G smart meter (deployed across all 1.6 million+ supply points between 2020 and 2025), 14,000+ data concentrators in secondary substations, telecontrol systems, and the Chain 2 two-way communication protocol enabling demand-response. Innovation layers include GIMMI (AI-driven drone and satellite network monitoring with predictive vegetation analytics), PASO (data-driven telecontrol predictive maintenance), and RomeFlex (a blockchain-based local flexibility market co-developed with GME, approved by ARERA). PNRR-funded investments totaling €174.2M (€157.5M Smart Grid strengthening plus €16.7M Network Resilience) are adding 780+ MW of renewable hosting capacity and ~200 km of heatwave-resilient medium-voltage network by June 2026. Recent non-utility projects include a 235-panel BIPV photovoltaic installation at the Vatican Museums main entrance (221 kWp, completed December 2024).

Revenue is generated through ARERA-regulated distribution, transmission, and measurement tariffs collected via customers' electricity bills from energy sales companies, supplemented by a public lighting service contract with the Comune di Roma, one-time connection and quote fees (€36.60–€3,050 depending on injection power), measurement and ancillary services, and PNRR-funded infrastructure investments. Customer-facing channels include the Area Riservata portal, the Area Produttori portal for energy producers, ARIA/PAD portals for energy vendors, the Illumina Roma mobile app, and toll-free phone lines. Customer segments span residential households, businesses, condominiums, large companies, distributed energy producers, energy sales companies, and the City of Rome public lighting service.

Name

Areti

Legal name

Areti S.p.A.

Website

https://areti.it

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Areti is the regulated electricity distribution and measurement utility for Rome and Formello, operating an 8,241 km network serving 1.6 million+ supply points, managing public lighting, and running ARERA-approved smart grid and flexibility market platforms under Acea Group ownership.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Electricity Distribution and Grid Services

NAICS

Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution (2211), Power and Communication Line and Related Structures Construction (237130), Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing (33513)

SIC

Instruments For Meas & Testing Of Electricity & Elec Signals (3825), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Electric Lighting & Wiring Equipment (3640)

akta.pro primary industry

Testing, Commissioning, Maintenance & Retrofit/Modernization (Substations/Switchgear) (EUADACAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Metering & Grid Measurement (Smart Meters, CT/VT, PQ Meters) (IMAGAAAH), Power Quality, Metering & Monitoring (HDACAJAG), In-Service Inspection (ISI) & NDE (ASME Code, Ultrasonics, Eddy Current) (EUAKABAF)

Keywords

• Electricity distribution
• Smart metering
• Public lighting
• Grid management
• Flexibility markets

Headquarters

HQ city

Roma

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Electricity Distribution Tariffs: Areti earns revenue through ARERA-regulated tariffs that cover the costs of electricity transport on local distribution networks. These tariffs are set by the regulator (ARERA) and collected through customers' electricity bills from their energy sales companies. The tariff components cover distribution, transmission, and measurement costs.
2. Measurement Services: Revenue from installing and maintaining electricity meters and from collecting, validating, and recording energy consumption measurements, including for production plants. The measurement tariff is paid separately from the supply contract.
3. Public Lighting Services: Revenue from designing, building, operating, and maintaining public lighting infrastructure in Rome under a Service Contract with Rome Municipality and Acea. Also includes artistic lighting of monuments.
4. Connection and Technical Services: Revenue from connection quotes (rapid and standard), power variation requests, and technical-commercial interventions on supply points. Fees vary by requested power level (e.g., €36.60–€3,050 depending on injection power).
5. PNRR and Infrastructure Investment Programs: Funded infrastructure upgrade projects under Italy's National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), including Smart Grid strengthening (€157.5M) and network resilience (€16.7M) investments.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Areti is the regulated electricity distribution and measurement utility for Rome and Formello, operating high, medium, and low voltage networks across 8,241 km and serving 1.6+ million supply points. It manages public and artistic lighting across Rome (206,090 light points including 11,425 artistic lighting points), deploys and reads 2G smart meters, and provides connection, measurement, and flexibility services under ARERA oversight. The company also operates the RomeFlex local flexibility market platform, PNRR-funded smart grid and resilience upgrades, and dedicated digital portals for residential, business, producer, and vendor customers.

Product overview

Areti operates as the electricity distribution and measurement utility for Rome and Formello, managing infrastructure across high, medium, and low voltage networks. The core offering centers on the Rometrix 2G smart metering platform, which has been rolled out to over 1.6 million supply points since 2020, replacing first-generation meters. Supporting infrastructure services include public and cemetery lighting management across Rome, the PESSE blackout prevention plan, and grid development and resilience plans filed with ARERA. Customer-facing digital products include the Area Riservata (private/business portals), ARIA and PAD vendor portals, the Area Produttori portal for energy producers, and the Illumina Roma mobile app. Innovation-driven offerings encompass the PNRR-funded Smart Grid and Network Resilience programs, the RomeFlex local flexibility market platform using blockchain smart contracts, the PlatOne European smart grid project, the GIMMI drone and satellite monitoring system, and the PASO data-driven network management platform. Areti also supports Energy Communities and provides POD search, tariff information, social bonus management, and measurement services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Rometrix: Second generation (2G) smart electricity meter developed and deployed by Areti for Rome and Formello customers, replacing first-generation meters.
• Illumina Roma

Products and services

• Rometrix 2G Smart Meter Second-generation (2G) smart electricity meter deployed across Rome and Formello, measuring consumption every 15 minutes and transmitting data remotely via concentrators in secondary substations. Enables real-time consumption monitoring, reduced estimated billing, and integration with flexibility services for 1.6M+ supply points.
• Public Lighting Service End-to-end design, construction, commissioning, and maintenance of public street lighting and artistic monument lighting across Rome. Covers 206,090 public light points and 11,425 artistic/monumental light points, with 92% LED technology as of December 2024.
• Electricity Distribution and Measurement Service Core regulated service covering high, medium, and low voltage line distribution, primary and secondary substations, telecontrol systems, and energy measurement for withdrawn and injected power across 1,300+ km² of Rome and Formello.
• Smart Grid Strengthening Program (PNRR) PNRR-funded project to strengthen and digitize Rome's distribution infrastructure, increasing hosting capacity by over 780 MW through network digitalization, automation, and observability enhancements to integrate renewable energy generation.
• Network Resilience Program (PNRR) PNRR-funded project (€16.7M) to increase resilience of medium-voltage network against extreme weather events, particularly heat waves, covering approximately 200 km of network to be completed by June 2026.
• RomeFlex Local Flexibility Market Local flexibility market platform enabling distributed resources (from 3 kW residential to large generation plants) to provide flexibility services to Areti's grid. Uses blockchain-based smart contracts for transparent settlement and automated market operations, approved by ARERA for 2026 operation.
• Vatican Museums Photovoltaic System (BIPV) Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) installation of 235 BIPV glass-vitro panels on the Vatican Museums' main entrance (221 kWp capacity), generating renewable energy and regulating temperature while preserving the historic aesthetic. Completed December 2024 within 12 months.
• Cemetery Lighting Service Votive lighting service across eleven cemeteries in Rome, including supply activation and eternal light (luce perpetua) management for burial plots, serving burial authorities and families.
• Electricity Connection Services Regulated connection quote and technical-commercial services for new connections, power variations, and meter modifications. Offers rapid and standard connection quotes for both residential supply points and production plants, with tiered fees from €36.60 to €3,050 based on injection power.
• Illumina Roma Mobile App Free mobile application available on iOS and Android allowing citizens to report public lighting faults and check service status, with map search and geolocation features, integrating with Areti's public lighting operations center.
• Measurement Services for Energy Producers Regulated electricity measurement service for distributed generation plants, covering withdrawn and injected energy, meter installation/maintenance, data collection, validation, recording, and transmission to GSE for incentive remuneration. Also includes measurement reconstruction for cases of meter malfunction or tampering.
• Piano PESSE (Blackout Prevention Plan) Emergency blackout prevention plan designed to safeguard citizens' electricity supply during periods of excessive energy demand, avoiding generalized sudden power interruptions through planned load reduction protocols.
• Energy Communities Service (CER) Service supporting formation and connection of Renewable Energy Communities (CER) under ARERA TIAD framework, where citizens and producers share locally generated energy. Includes area identification tool, incentive access guidance, and GSE filing support.

Quantifiable outcome

• 92% LED lamp coverage across 206,090 public light points in Rome as of December 2024
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability8 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• GME (Gestore dei Mercati Energetici)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023GME is Italy's energy market operator. Together with GME, Areti developed the RomeFlex project — a local flexibility market platform approved by ARERA (Delibere 372/2023 and 121/2024/R/eel) enabling inclusive flexibility market operations using blockchain and smart contracts for transparent settlement.
• Comune di RomacoreOthers · 1 January 2023Rome Municipality is Areti's primary public lighting client under a Service Contract. Areti designs, builds, operates, and maintains all public lighting infrastructure (206,090 points) and artistic lighting across the city, funded through the municipal service contract.
• European Commission — Horizon Europe ProgrammeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022The BeFlexible project ('Boosting Engagement to Increase Flexibility'), funded under Horizon Europe, aims to improve flexible grid management and DSO-TSO cooperation over 4 years (2022–2026). Areti's capital contribution is €494,000. The project involves multiple European energy companies and technology providers.
• Ministero dell'Ambiente e della Sicurezza Energetica (MASE)coreOthers · 1 January 2022MASE (Ministry of Environment and Energy Security) is the granting authority for Areti's PNRR-funded projects: €157.5M for Smart Grid strengthening (PNRR Mission 2, Investment 2.1) and €16.7M for network resilience (PNRR Mission 2, Investment 2.2).
• TERNAcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2021TERNA is the owner of Italy's National Electricity Transmission Network (RTN) in high and very high voltage. For production plants with capacity ≥ 10,000 kW, Areti refers customers to TERNA as the competent transmission operator. This is a regulatory referral relationship based on voltage threshold jurisdiction.
• GSE (Gestore dei Servizi Energetici)coreOthers · 1 January 2021GSE manages energy incentive schemes including net metering (scambio sul posto), feed-in tariffs, and renewable energy support schemes. Areti transmits production plant measurement data to GSE for producer remuneration. Producers can present applications for incentives through GSE.
• ARERA (Autorità di Regolazione per Energia Reti e Ambiente)coreOthers · 1 January 2021ARERA is Italy's national energy regulator that sets electricity distribution tariffs, approves Areti's investment plans (Piano di Sviluppo), smart meter deployment plans (PMS2), and flexibility market regulations (including RomeFlex pilot approval via Delibere 352/2021, 372/2023, 121/2024).
• Politecnico di Milano — Osservatorio DroniminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Areti has been a partner of the Politecnico di Milano's Drone Observatory since 2020. The partnership supports knowledge sharing and validation of drone-based inspection technologies for electricity distribution networks.
• European Commission — Horizon 2020 ProgrammecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019The PlatOne project (PLATform for Operation of distribution Networks) was funded under the EU Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme, involving 12 European companies and research institutions to develop flexibility markets and smart grid solutions. Areti led the Italian pilot in Rome (2019–2023, €9.5M total investment).

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Unareti: A2A Group's DSO operating in northern Italy (Brescia, Milan, Bergamo). Multi-utility DSO comparable to Areti in scale, regulatory framework, and smart grid investments.
• Ireti: Iren Group's regulated DSO operating in northern Italy (Genoa, Turin, Parma). Comparable in serving urban/regional territories, operating under ARERA with smart metering programmes.
• RetiPiù: Hera Group's smaller DSO serving parts of Emilia-Romagna. Comparable Italian regulated DSO with multi-utility parent and similar tariff structure.
• Netze BW: EnBW subsidiary operating as a major German DSO. Comparable role in operating regulated distribution networks, modernizing substations, and integrating renewable generation into urban grids.
• e-distribuzione: Enel Group's Italian DSO serving ~31 million customers across the majority of Italy. Directly comparable as a regulated electricity distribution operator with smart meter rollout experience and ARERA oversight.
• AGSM AIM: Verona-based multi-utility with DSO operations. Comparable Italian regulated DSO with integrated energy service offerings and municipal heritage.
• Inrete Distribuzione Energia: Hera Group's DSO focused on Emilia-Romagna. Comparable Italian regulated DSO with multi-utility parent and similar ARERA-regulated smart grid and flexibility market activities.
• Citelum: EDF subsidiary specializing in urban public lighting services and smart city infrastructure. Directly comparable in managing municipal public lighting contracts at scale (similar to Areti's 206,090-point Rome contract).

Emerging players

• Landis+Gyr: Global smart meter manufacturer and grid management solutions provider. Comparable technology provider for the 2G metering rollout and Chain 2 communication Areti deploys; supplier relationship rather than direct competitor.

Broad incumbents

• Siemens Smart Infrastructure: Major supplier of grid automation, smart meter, and substation technology. Comparable through the smart grid and telecontrol platform stack Areti uses (related to PASO and Smart Grid investments).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/areti-s.p.a.

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Areti