The settlement of overdue debts of electricity consumers in the areas affected by the September 2023 floods provides for a Joint Ministerial Decision signed by the co-competent ministers.

It is recalled that the floods of September 2023 affected areas of the Regional Units:

Magnesia

  • Sporades,
  • Karditsa,
  • Larisa and Trikala,

Region of Thessaly,

  • Fthiotida and Evia,

Region of Central Greece,

  • Eastern Attica,
  • Islands and Southern Sector of Athens, vol

Region of Attica and Argolis of the Region of Peloponnese.

The Decision specifies: the scope (affected areas) of the regulation, the eligible consumers of electricity in affected areas, from the floods of September 2023, the terms, conditions and required supporting documents. At the same time, the obligations of the providers are regulated and the methodology for calculating the interest charge is determined.

In particular, according to the information from the Ministry of Environment and Energy:

Beneficiary electricity consumers of the above affected areas are the following:

  • Final customers of electricity, who on 4.9.2023 were connected to the transmission network or the electricity distribution network with provision for rural use of independent power, according to the register maintained by the competent Administrator, as informed by the respective electricity provider .
  • Final customers of electricity, who on 4.9.2023 were connected to the transmission network or the electricity distribution network and constitute a Water Improvement Organization (TOEB/GOEB) with benefits for irrigation purposes.
  • Final customers of electricity, who on 4.9.2023 were connected to the transmission network or the electricity distribution network and are Local Self-Governing Organizations of the A’ and B’ degree with benefits for irrigation purposes.

In order to settle the debts of beneficiaries to electricity providers, the following conditions must be met, in total:

  • There must be a debt for the supply of electricity for a period of consumption before September 30, 2023.
  • The amount of the debt that can be settled is the beneficiary’s debt that has been created from unpaid electricity consumption bills until September 30, 2023.

The consumption bills must have been issued by the date of publication of this Decision. In any case, the scope does not include debts from consumption accounts for the period from October 1, 2023 onwards.

  • The amount of the debt related to the supply of electricity must be greater than 100 euros.

The terms of debt repayment include the following:

  • The collection of debts for the years 2024 and 2025 related to the supply of electricity for consumption is suspended until September 30, 2023.

During the time period of suspension of collection of the amount of the debt, all actions of the Supplier provided for in the Procurement Code (cut-off orders/complaint/cease of representation/out-of-court complaints, etc.) for the specific amount of debt are suspended.

  • The installments related to the repayment of the total amount of the debt start on 1.1.2026, are equal and do not exceed 60 monthly.

In any case, the debt must be repaid by 31.12.2030. The beneficiary must pay, on time, the monthly installments of the program.

Otherwise, the beneficiary is excluded from the arrangement after 30 calendar days have passed from the payment deadline and the provider may apply the provisions of the Procurement Code.

  • The interest rate for the beneficiary, regarding the repayment of his debt, is zero for the period from the entry into force of the Decision until 31.12.2030.
  • Each provider can apply the possibility of granting discounts to the beneficiary, depending on the time of repayment of the debt by him, based on his procedures and his business plan.
  • Starting from 1.1.2026, each provider must inform, in detail, the beneficiary about the evolution of the repayment of the selected regulation program, through the electricity consumption bill, and in particular in cases where the provider stops representing the provision with a printed or electronic letter.

It is clarified that inclusion in this regulation and inclusion in the regulation of article 30 of Law 5095/2024 (energy cost reduction measures for the promotion of the primary and secondary sector), for the period of validity of the former, are mutually exclusive actions for the same natural or legal person.

For the inclusion of the beneficiaries in the regulation, the following procedure is foreseen – based on the GPA:

1. The potential beneficiary submits – after identification with TaxisNet codes – an electronic application, separate for each service he wishes to include in the measure, on a special online portal of the Greek Electricity Distribution Network Operator (DEDDIE), from 10.06.2024 until on 15.07.2024.

Each application states: name, VAT number, provision number, mobile phone, e-mail of the potential beneficiary (if any) and, where applicable, that it is a provision exclusively for irrigation purposes.

2. DEDDIE sends, by 30.7.2024, to the electricity providers, who represented the benefits on 4 September 2023, a consolidated statement, with the benefits of the potential beneficiaries, which contains at least the full name, VAT number, number of the provision and the standard usage, mobile phone and e-mail (if any) of the potential beneficiary and notifies it to the Ministry of Environment and Energy.

3. Electricity providers check whether potential beneficiaries are located in affected areas. Then, they inform (by any appropriate means) the potential beneficiaries about the debt settlement programs provided.

4. Until 30.09.2024, the potential beneficiary submits a debt settlement request to the provider, choosing the settlement program (payment amount, repayment period) that he wishes and joins the settlement.

5. The electricity providers send, by 31.10.2024, to the General Directorate of Financial Services, the General Directorate of Energy of the Ministry of Environment and Energy and DEDDIE SA, a detailed statement per supply and beneficiary, which includes the amounts of unpaid debts and the accrued interest, as well as a consolidated statement with all outstanding debts and accrued interest.

6. After joining the arrangement, the respective provider informs the beneficiaries of the amount of the interest charge they will receive as aid both per year, starting in the year 2027, and in total for the entire period of validity of the measure.

The MOU is signed by the Ministers of Environment and Energy, Mr. Th. Skylakakis, of National Economy and Finance, Mr. K. Hatzidakis, of Agricultural Development and Food, Mr. L. Avgenakis, as well as the Deputy Ministers of Environment and Energy, Mrs. Al. Sdoukou, of National Economy and Finance, Mr. Th. Petralia and of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, Mr. Chr. Triantopoulos.