A much-delayed plan to compensate residents in areas hosting renewable energy source (RES) facilities, specifically wind-energy and small hydropower plants, will finally be carried out five years after legislation had been ratified.

Beneficiaries entitled to the compensation package stand to share more than 18 million euros for the period covering June, 2010 to December, 2014, the energy ministry has just announced.

Energy minister Panos Skourletis has signed a ministerial decision approving these payments to households where RES facilities operate.

Persistance was needed by the energy ministry and other related ministries to resolve numerous issues, many of which had remained stagnant for years, to make this payment possible, the energy ministry noted in a statement.

The names of beneficiaries will be posted on the energy minsitry’s website. Individuals wishing to make any appeals will have one month to do so.