Italy may declare a state of gas alert next week if Russia continues to restrict gas supplies to Rome, Reuters reported, citing government sources.

Italy's existing gas emergency protocol foresees three stages: from a state of preliminary alert, imposed in late February after the start of events in Ukraine, to a state of alert and then to a state of emergency.

The state of emergency would trigger a series of measures aimed at reducing gas consumption, including rationing gas to certain industrial consumers, ramping up production at the country's coal-fired power plants, and asking other suppliers to increase gas imports.