By Penelope Galliou

The crisis in the Middle East and its multi-level effects in the energy sector keep the government staff on alert, which has proclaimed in all tones that the daily life of the citizen is a priority and by extension a new energy crisis should already have “ready answers” “if and when it comes.

Moreover, the government representative has repeatedly assured that all the interventions made by the government and the personal commitments of the prime minister have as their main objective the strengthening of the income of the citizens and certainly the positive developments for the Greek economy give impetus to these changes.

In this light, the government and the Ministry of Environment and Energy are on the final stretch for the announcement, by the end of the month, of a broad package of measures, which aims to support vulnerable households, but also to increase competition between electricity providers energy.

As the government representative even stated in the briefing to the political editors, this will be done “in continuation of the previous interventions, so that the citizens do not pay more price increases in the electricity. Whether the increases are related to the size of the international developments is not fully captured, however our economy has the ability, without derailing, to adapt to the benefit of the citizens,” he stressed.

According to information, the new measures will concern subsidies on electricity bills, changes to providers’ tariffs and the possibility to receive a heating allowance from 1/1/2024 and those who use air conditioners, heat pumps or other devices to get warm. It is also expected that a set of measures will be announced for strategic non-payers, as well as for those who engage in wiretapping.

The criteria for the beneficiaries of the new heating allowance will probably be similar to those that apply to the heating allowance for oil and will take into account income criteria, family status but also the geographical area and the prevailing weather conditions.

For example, a household in Florina has a different consumption and a household in Crete has a different consumption. In any case, the electricity subsidy for heating needs will be judged on the basis of consumption from a limit of kilowatt hours and above, while beneficiaries will be consumers who do not use the subsidy for heating oil or other subsidized sources.

Given also that from January 1st, the provision of electricity adjustment by the providers will be reinstated, with legislative regulation, changes are expected to be made to the tariffs of the electricity providers, with the aim of allowing consumers to choose the pricing method, but also to increase competition between in the companies. The plan of the competent Ministry will include special provisions for providers on the basis of a mandatory common tariff category for all companies, where all consumers who do not choose a specific tariff category will be included.

In addition, however, there will be the “blue”, “green” and “orange” tariffs defined by RAE’s plan. Essentially, the “blue” invoices will be a fixed charge for the period to be agreed, the “green” floating and the “orange” will be dynamic pricing products, which provide a floating commission charge that reflects the price fluctuation in the spot markets. delivery and will be offered to consumers who have a smart meter.

The new package of measures will also include measures for strategic defaulters, but also for those who steal electricity, for whom there will reportedly be a system of marking debtors, which will carry out cross-checks on income, deposits, immovable and movable property , in order to separate those who do not pay out of necessity and those who are systematic defaulters.