New law helps boost individual household gas connections

The overwhelming majority of new natural gas supply household connections – 87 percent of roughly 1,500 – are  independently maintained rather than shared between common apartment block flat owners.

Some 1,300 households opted to install individual gas connection systems, up from 900 a year earlier, a 40 percent increase.

Discount offers for new gas connections in the wider Athens region and a considerable simplification of bureaucratic procedures have served as an incentive for households to act alone.

A recently introduced law permits flat owners to proceed with installations of individual gas supply systems even if the majority of fellow apartment-block flat owners do not offer their consent.

The gas supply company EDA Attiki has set itself an objective to complete 12,000 new household gas supply connections in 2017 and, between 2017 and 2021, develop 100 kilometers of additional network infrastructure – in areas with existing low infrastructure densities as well as new regions.

The gas supply company also intends to lower connection costs for households, a decisive factor for home owners considering new gas supply connections. EDA Attiki is currently offering full exemptions from connection surcharge costs.

Beginning April 3, EDA Attiki will launch a new subsidies program offering up to 3,000 euros per apartment block and 750 euros for individual flats to help cover the cost of converting existing fuel-operated heating systems to natural gas.

Addressing the company’s strategic plans, Hristos Balaskas, managing director at EDA Attiki, noted the supplier aims to further penetrate the natural gas market for households and businesses in the wider Athens area by developing the region’s distribution network and offering cost-reducing incentives.