The energy ministry has announced a revised Social Residential Tariff (KOT) program offering low-income households electricity tariff discounts of as much as 70 percent.

The ministry, in a statement released yesterday, described the initiative as “yet another intervention aiming to tackle energy poverty, especially for the country’s most vulnerable citizens.”

Two categories have been established for the new program. One will include households eligible for social solidarity welfare funds (KEA), to be offered electricity tariff discounts of 7.5 cents per KWh, reducing the regular rate of approximately 13 cents per KWh to 5 cents per KWh, a 70 percent discount.

The second category, to group households eligible for the government’s recently announced social dividends, will offer discounts of 4.5 euros per MWh. This represents a discount of approximately 35 percent.

In its announcement, the ministry noted the criteria to be applied for eligibility will not only include household income levels but property ownership as well. The intention is to maximize the new plan’s level of fairness and sustainability.