Thousands of residents located within the boundaries of municipalities where renewable energy source (RES) facilities have been installed can expect considerable discounts, even zero amounts, for their electricity bills in 2015, based on a decision signed by Environment, Energy & Climate Change Minister Yiannis Maniatis, through which discounts on power bills will be funded by the distribution of a surcharge imposed on producers.

For four-month billing periods, consumption amounts of between zero and 2,000 kilowatt hours will by entirely subsidized, consumption amounts of between 2,001 and 3,000 kilowatt hours will be subsidized by fifty percent, while any consumption over 3,000 kilowatt hours will not be eligible for any subsidy support.

RES producers are obligated to cover 70 percent of subsidies offered to electricity consumers in communities where RES facilities operate.

Based on sector regulations, RES producers are required to pay one percent of the pre-VAT sale price of their electricity production as a withholding tax to electricity suppliers, who then relay, through electricity bills, the relevant amounts to residents eligible for the subsidy program.

Consumers need to have active electricity connections to be valid for the subsidies.