A supportive study needed by the Greek government to submit an application to the European Commission for an extension of the country’s existing demand response mechanism (interruptability), a pivotal energy cost-saving tool for industry, has been delivered to the energy ministry by power grid operator IPTO, tasked with preparing the additional study, energypress sources have informed.

The existing demand response mechanism is valid until December 31, following an approval last February. Industry is looking for a three-year extension.

Industrialists fear the effort to extend the demand response mechanism’s validity risks being rejected if it does not precede or coincide with notification concerning the flexibility mechanism.

The demand response mechanism compensates major-scale electricity consumers such as industrial enterprises when the TSO (IPTO) asks them to shift their energy usage (lower or stop consumption) during high-demand peak hours, so as to balance the electricity system’s needs.

On another front, IPTO will have completed all studies related to Greece’s new decarbonization and RES targets before the end of the year, the operator’s deputy chief Yiannis Margaris noted during last week’s Renewable & Storage Forum in Athens, staged by energypress.

These studies will enable technical and financial assessments concerning the updated National Energy and Climate Plan for an estimate of the cost of infrastructure required to reach the new decarbonization and RES objectives, the IPTO deputy official explained.