​On 28 May, Terna published the binding rules for Italy's second MACSE auction. It targets 16 GWh of awarded capacity, against the 10 GWh awarded in the first round. The auction will take place on 24 November 2026.

The auction format is unchanged from 2025, so the 2026 round is a scale-up rather than a redesign.

South and Calabria absorb the bulk of 2026 MACSE targeted volumes

​South and Calabria, the aggregated southern zone, cleared its full 7 GWh cap in 2025. That reflects where most of Italy's battery project pipeline sits. The 2026 ceiling rises to 11.5 GWh.

Battery development has been thinner in Sicily and Sardinia. Both cleared only the mandatory 0.5 GWh floor in 2025. For 2026, Sicily's floor doubles to 1 GWh.

​Northern Italy stays outside the eligible perimeter.

Four deadlines lead to the 24 November MACSE auction

Four operational deadlines remain for bidders. Admission opens 7 July and the auction follows 140 days later.

The reserve premium that caps bids and anchors the penalty structure has not yet been published for the 2026 round. ARERA will set it by separate resolution ahead of auction day, as it did for the 2025 round when it landed at €37,000/MWh-year.

MACSE qualification coefficients carry over from 2025

​The Relazione tecnica published on 28 May reaffirms the combined k-factors that Terna uses to compute qualified capacity, identical to the 2025 round.