Greece and the European Commission are no more than a fortnight’s time away from reaching a deal on the country’s CAT mechanism, reliable sources closely following ongoing negotiations on the matter between the energy ministry and Brussels officials have informed.

Once an agreement is finalized, Brussels will deliver its notification, in other words a finalized list of observations on the Greek CAT plan. Its finalized look, to emerge following any needed adjustments, could be announced by the end of March, barring unexpected developments.

A certain period of time, depending on the pace of bureaucratic procedures in Brussels, will then be needed for the plan’s approval by the European Commission. This will enable preparations for the first CAT auction, expected, without a doubt, within 2019.

The nucleus of the Greek CAT plan, based on an Italian model that has already been endorsed, complies with EU directives, the European Commission has already recognized. Brussels officials have apparently requested revisions from Greece that will result in a CAT mechanism version sharing an even greater amount of similarities with its Italian equivalent.

Greece’s new CAT plan mainly concerns private-sector thermal electricity producers and the main power utility PPC as it will greatly shape their operating conditions over the next decade.

Investors considering PPC’s Megalopoli and Meliti power stations included in an ongoing bailout-required disinvestment of lignite units are also monitoring developments as the resulting CAT plan will greatly determine the earning potential of these units.

The PPC’s Ptolemaida V power station, now under construction, is expected to be among the units to qualify for CAT remuneration.