New package of measures for the household and business support in the treatment of revaluations in energy, the government is preparing. According to existing information, an increase in the subsidy on household and business electricity bills, which started to be applied from September, while for larger companies supplied by the medium voltage network, the suspension of payment of certain regulated charges included in the bills is being considered, as a first step, to facilitate the liquidity of the companies. According to the same information, the suspension of charges is also being considered for vulnerable consumers.
The need to strengthen consumer support measures has arisen as electricity prices have increased further in October to the level of €200 at wholesale, while the calculations for the subsidy applied since September were made with a wholesale price at the level of €100-130. Already the government and the competent Minister of Environment and Energy, Kostas Skrekas, have stated that developments will be monitored on a monthly basis in order to take measures to minimise the impact on consumers. So far, the subsidy budget stands at €500 million.
The main source of funding for aid to consumers is, on the one hand, the revenues from auctions of carbon dioxide emission allowances and on the other hand the surpluses created in the renewable energy financing account (ELAPE) by the increase in the wholesale price of electricity. This increase ensures the guaranteed revenues of «green» power plants from their participation in the market without the need for the additional subsidy from consumers that comes from the ETMEAR charge. The plan provides for the return of the surpluses of the ELAPE to consumers immediately, during the current period when the problem of energy price increases has arisen.
Facilities and payment suspensions are included in the toolbox recently presented by the European Commission to address the energy crisis.
It is recalled that the measures already announced and in force include:
-Electricity, a subsidy for low voltage (households and businesses) of €60 per megawatt hour for consumption up to 300 kilowatt hours per month. This brings the subsidy to €18 per month. For beneficiaries of the Social Household Tariff, the subsidy is set at 80 euros per megawatt-hour, or 24 euros per month.
-In the gas sector, DEPA Trading applies a 15 % discount to its suppliers - customers in order for them to pass it on to domestic consumers.
-At the same time, the heating allowance is increased and the eligibility criteria are broadened to include more than 1 million households this year.
