Questions about the reduction in consumption are growing Current in the winter, as it is not yet clear, firstly, how the target set by the Commission for Member States will be reached and, secondly, whether the new model will be passed on to households or only to businesses.
Initially, the Commission has proposed an obligation to reduce electricity consumption by at least 5% during selected peak hours with the highest prices. Member States would have to identify 10% of the highest expected price hours and reduce demand during peak hours. This should last until March 2023.
According to SKAI, the Greek plan includes a plan for a mandatory 5% electricity reduction during peak hours, namely from 13:00 to 16:00 and from the 20:00 to 22:00 in the evening. Of course, as far as households are concerned, what is known so far is that there will be no obligation but incentives to reduce consumption, with a corresponding subsidy. In other words, the less you consume, the more you are subsidised.
According to the ADMIE, the figures are different and the peak hours previously set were for December to February from 18:00-20:00 and for June to August from 21:00-22:00.
Ο HEDNO, according to other information, has as its main driver for peak hours the three-hour 10:00-13:00 for the morning and 18:00-20:00.
As the above scenarios suggest, that the plan will be implemented for a two-hour period in the afternoon to evening in winter.
Even more problems are expected to be created by the tiered subsidy, according to the President of the Union of Technicians of PPC, Kostas Maniatis. As he described to Open, it is impossible to immediately perceive the reduction in consumption of a household, as due to the great lack of staff, «the measurements are not correct towards the consumer. We do not measure every month, but every four months».
He stressed that as long as there is no direct actual consumption measurement, the first bills will not record a reduction, even if it has been achieved. This is because, households that have a quarterly bill are not going to see a subsidy for months at a time when they have to pay the cost. Again, those who chose bi-monthly or monthly will be charged «approximate consumption» before actual metering is done.
