EVIKEN, the Association of Industrial Energy Consumers, has forwarded a written request to the energy ministry seeking an extension to the energy cost-saving “disruption management” mechanism, expiring in slightly less than a year.

The European Commission has just endorsed an equivalent German “demand response” plan, bringing the issue to the fore. The German system will be valid until July, 2022.

Greece’s industrial sector has highlighted that the measure’s extension is essential to prevent a void that could prompt unpredictable repercussions for Greek industry, already lacking a competitive edge in terms of energy costs.

The ‘disruption management’ mechanism enables major industrial enterprises to benefit from electricity cost savings in exchange for shifting energy usage to off-peak hours whenever required by the operator.

The government’s new Environment and Energy Minister Giorgos Stathakis, appointed last Friday, will be the recipient of the request, forwarded to his predecessor Panos Skourletis, who now heads the Ministry of Interior Affairs.

As one of its arguments, EVIKEN, in its request, noted that Greece’s ‘disruption’ mechanism was approved back in October, 2014, but not implemented until March, 2016. It expires on October 15, 2017.

The association noted that the Greek mechanism was endorsed by Brussels for a maximum period of three years, a time period that cannot be fully utilized as a result of the delay, caused by a lack of framework.