PPC, the Public Power Corporation, will seek to collect the entire amount of overdue electricity bills owed to the power utility, newly appointed president and CEO Manolis Panagiotakis declared yesterday in response to various news reports contending the corporation would relent under his leadership.

Panagiotakis, who made the comment after being inducted into Greek Parliament’s public utilities committee, contended that virtually the entire amount owed to PPC by consumers, currently at 1.8 billion euros, was retrieveable.

The new PPC chief specified that 290 million euros of debt generated by low-voltage consumption and 65 million euros owed through medium-voltage consumption concerns consumers who had never before failed to meet PPC electricity bill obligations. Panagiotakis asserted he expected these amounts to be settled.

As for all other amounts, the PPC chief said the power utility would seek settlement through all legitimate means. Power supply to consumers would be disrupted if needed, Panagiotakis noted, while adding that the financial standing of debtors would be taken into account. Certain consumers are able to pay, but are not doing so, he supported.

Panagiotakis pointed out consumers responsible for 900 million euros of overdue amounts owed to PPC had already received warnings and requests that they consult the utility for pay-back programs through installments.

Also, Panagiotakis has asked the Production Reconstruction, Environment and Energy Ministry to prepare an amendment that would stop consumers with unsettled PPC bills from transferring to other power supply companies.

“Various power supply companies are locating PPC customers who owe amounts to PPC and signing them up onto their networks,” Panagiotakis noted. “These consumers are leaving behind debt at PPC.”