Electric car in Sicily, PNRR turning point: how many Enel charging stations are already active?

Sicily is among the protagonists of the largest infrastructure plan for electric mobility funded by European funds. Enel, the energy group led by Flavio Cattaneo, has completed the installations planned by the first PNRR tender, reaching a total of 3,730 "fast" charging points distributed across five Italian regions: Campania, Lazio, Lombardy, Puglia, and Sicily.

In the province of Catania, there are 112 operational charging stations, a number that places the Etna area among the most served regions of the plan, second in Southern Italy only to the province of Naples, which has 298 installations. By comparison, Milano has 227 and Bari 111. Rome leads the national ranking with 396 charging points.

European funds and Southern Italy: 40% of installations are in the Mezzogiorno

The intervention, made possible also thanks to the Next Generation EU funds from the European Union, is not set to stop here. Enel has already initiated a second phase of work, related to the second and third PNRR tenders, which foresees the installation of an additional 1,200 charging points in nine regions, including Sicily again. Upon completion, the total will reach approximately 5,000 active charging stations throughout the national territory.

A significant fact concerns the geographical distribution: about 40% of all installations are concentrated in Southern Italy, demonstrating a strategic choice aimed at bridging the infrastructure gap between the North and South of the country in terms of sustainable transport. Overall, Enel has already reached 50% of the assignments awarded in the three PNRR tenders for charging infrastructure in urban contexts.

How the charging stations work

The installed stations offer a power of up to 90 kW per single connector and can serve two vehicles simultaneously, ensuring quick charging times. To access the service, you can use the Enel On Your Way app and card, or the cards from over 160 national and international operators that are interoperable with the system. Direct payment at the charging station is also available via debit or credit card, a solution designed to make the experience accessible even for those approaching electric driving for the first time.

The inauguration in Rome

To celebrate the completion of the first tender, Enel inaugurated a charging station in front of the Ministry of Environment and Energy Security, on Via Cristoforo Colombo in Rome. Representatives from Enel and the Ministry attended the event, including Fabrizio Penna, Head of the Department of the Mission Unit for the PNRR.

The group's stated goal is to build a sustainable, digital, and accessible transportation ecosystem for all citizens — private motorists and businesses — who choose to move electrically. For Sicily, which historically faces infrastructure delays compared to the rest of the country, the arrival of over a hundred fast charging points represents a concrete sign of a turnaround.