Axpo Italia at the forefront in the fight against the corona virus

Axpo's Italian subsidiary has donated 200,000 Euros to combat the corona virus raging in Italy. The various relief programmes for people in need extend from the most hard-hit region around Milan, to Axpo Italia's headquarters in Genoa, and down to the southern point of the boot where Axpo's gas-fired combined-cycle power plants are located.

Italy has been combating the devastating impacts of the corona virus for over two months. In this difficult time, Axpo Italia is assisting the hard-hit country, which has already suffered over 26,000 deaths, and has become involved in the fight against the new lung disease Covid-19. Axpo's Italian subsidiary, which was founded in 2000, has already donated 200,000 Euros to regions where it has a strong local presence. One initiative provides special support for Italian families: For two months, Axpo will waive electricity and gas bills for all its new “Pulsee” digital brand customers.

Salvatore Pinto, Chairman of Axpo Italia, elaborates on the relief initiatives: "In this global state of emergency that has been so difficult for our country we must support our fellow citizens quickly and unbureaucratically. Axpo Italia wants to provide assistance to all those that have been the first to feel the crisis impacts and that are now suffering the most."

Expansion of intensive care unit in Genoa

At the outset of the corona crisis, Axpo Italia followed the call of the San Martino University Hospital in Genoa and joined the campaign  #genovapersanmartino, which is supported by countless citizens, associations and local companies. Axpo Italia's financial contribution was used to expand the hospital's intensive care unit.

Masks and medical equipment for hospitals

Axpo Italia donated a total of 3,000 disposal masks for towns in the Rizziconi region in Calabria and Sparanise near Naples, where Axpo's gas-fired combined-cycle power plants are located. In addition, the company also supported aid campaigns for needy families in both regions. Other donations went to the Ospedale Cotugno in Naples and several clinics in Reggio Calabria in order to help them cope with this emergency. In Milan, Axpo Italia contributed to the procurement of technical equipment for the new hospital on the grounds of the exhibition centre.

Salvatore Pinto comments: "We concentrated on the geographical regions where we have been successfully established with our own locations for over twenty years. In doing so, Axpo Italia wants to give something back to Italian society. Together, we will continue to work hard in order to underpin the public’s perseverance and to pave the way for our country’s economic recovery."

Free energy thanks to "Pulsee"

But that's not all: With Pulsee, the new, recently launched digital brand for power and gas in the end customer segment, Axpo Italia is participating in an initiative for digital solidarity started by the Italian Ministry for Innovation and Technology. New Pulsee customers will receive free power and gas for two months under this initiative. The programme is intended for families, which is one of the main target groups of "Pulsee".

Lunch checks for clinic staff

Solidarity is also a high priority for Axpo Italia's employees: They will go without their meal vouchers in April. Instead, the lunch checks will go to the staff at hospitals that Axpo Italia is supporting – in particular the clinic staff at San Martino in Genoa. Axpo Italia's management has doubled the sum of the vouchers so that doctors and nurses can get free meals during this very challenging time.

Salvatore Pinto concludes: "Being here for the people that are doing such a great job to support us all is an important issue for Axpo Italia."

So that the motto #andratuttobene ("everything will be OK") that can be seen all over Italy since the outbreak of the crisis and symbolising the unshakeable optimism of its people can become a reality.