Main power utility PPC, seeking ways to improve its alarming unpaid receivables record, is now preparing to focus its collection effort on clients owing amounts in excess of 500 euros, a category collectively owing approximately 300 million euros.

This amount represents about 15 percent of the 1.75 billion euros owed to PPC by clients in the low and mid-voltage categories.

PPC intends to use power-cut threats as a tool in this latest collection campaign. It remains unknown how much support the utility will receive from the energy ministry.

Last night, the energy ministry announced it was renouncing a statement made earlier in the day by a highly ranked ministry official who noted that the ministry would endorse PPC to proceed with power supply cuts in cases where unpaid electricity bills exceeded 1,000 euros.

This development adds to the series of energy ministries of various administrations that have often succumbed to political cost and refrained from taking action against non-punctual electricity consumers.

Despite the alarming amounts owed by conusmers, the utility remained soft in 2016, generally limiting its power supply cuts to 10,000 per month and striking a high of 45,000 cuts during certain months. Power supply cut orders reached record figures in 2015, reaching 100,000 per month.

According to PPC data, 1.2 million clients owe the utility amounts of as much as 500 euros for a tally of 130 million euros. Some 200,000 customers owe PPC between 500 and 1,000 euros for a total of 200 million euros. Approximately 150,000 customers owe the utility between 1,000 and 3,000 euros. Nearly 65,000 clients owe PPC over 3,000 euros each for a total of roughly 400 million euros.