Since 2022, the only fuel station in Valle Castellana, an Abruzzo municipality of about 800 inhabitants located just steps from the border with the province of Ascoli Piceno, has been taken over by the municipal administration to cap the prices of gasoline and diesel. Only now, however, the courageous choice of Mayor Camillo D’Angelo, currently also president of the Province of Teramo, is becoming very popular due to the high fuel prices affecting the entire national territory.
Mayor D’Angelo, is your fuel station going against the trend?
“Let’s say it all started from a real need, and now it has become an opportunity, so much so that several municipalities like Castelli, also in the province of Teramo, have asked us how to activate the process to follow our example.”
It all stems from the need to prevent the disappearance of the only service area in the zone?
“It’s true. After the earthquake and with the depopulation of the internal areas, the fuel station was no longer economically viable and risked closure. In that case, another essential service would have been lost, forcing even those who only needed a can of diesel for agricultural tools to go to Ascoli, a 40-minute drive. So we thought of taking it over as a municipal administration, purchasing the fuel directly and selling it at cost price. The savings for consumers were immediately evident, sometimes even over 20 cents per liter. At the moment, we sell gasoline at 1.75 euros per liter and diesel at 1.89, to the satisfaction of residents, but also commuters, workers from companies rebuilding after the earthquake, and tourists. Many people from Ascoli and Teramo come for a walk in our woods, also hunting for mushrooms and truffles, and in autumn for chestnuts, taking advantage to fill up.”
So is it true that business has increased?
“We went from 75,000 euros in revenue in 2024 to 500,000 in 2025, and the forecasts for 2026 are even better because there was a great rediscovery of the mountains during the summer and we had many more tourists, including foreigners.”
What are the costs for the administration?
“Electricity and maintenance of the plant, which is self-service so there is no staff. We installed an important video surveillance system, but otherwise we only have to buy the fuel and distribute it at cost price, without profit of course.”
On social media, it’s called the ‘mayor’s gasoline’ and is making the rounds in Italy: a name that conveys the idea well?
“Actually, I wanted to do much more, like creating a card to further cap prices for residents, but it was not possible. So I thought together with the municipal social services to activate a prepaid card to be given to families in difficulty, from 500 to 1,000 euros, to buy fuel at our station. A way to give an extra hand to those who chose to continue living in Valle Castellana even after the earthquake, which was devastating also for us who are just steps from Amatrice.”
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