The Mytilineos group, through a portfolio including its Aluminium of Greece company, has become the country’s first company to use an aggregator (FOSE) permit in a demand-response program, established as part of an EU proposal aiming to reduce energy consumption by 5 percent.

The Mytilineos group conducted its first such transaction on May 28, energypress sources informed.

In the lead-up, RAE, the Regulatory Authority for Energy, had approved a 500-MW permit for Mytilineos to use in this demand-response program, while power grid operator IPTO conducted trial runs to ensure the system’s platform was ready to operate.

The demand response system enables variation of electricity consumption by end-users such as commercial and industrial enterprises in order to balance the electricity network during periods of peak production or consumption.

Sympower Greece, also holding a 500-MW aggregator permit for the demand-response program, has registered to participate but had not conducted any transactions until last Friday, the sources noted.

NRG holds a 100-MW aggregator permit for the the demand-response program, Optimus Energy possesses a 350-MW permit, power utility PPC holds a 1,500-MW permit, and Elpedison holds a 500-MW permit. These companies are believed to be preparing to conduct their first aggregator demand-response transactions.