Bailout measures introduced to liberalize the country’s gas market may instead end up strengthening the regional EPA monopolies, judging by latest developments.

Conflicting conditions for industrial consumers have already emerged. Consumers not linked to the EPA supply companies operating in the wider Athens area, Thessaloniki, and Thessalia, in the mid-northeast are being charged an increased distribution cost of 4 euros per MWh, up from 80 cents per MWh. Consumers being supplied by EPA companies are not being charged the increase.

This discrepancy is creating unfair market conditions and not offering incentives for gas suppliers seeking to enter the market, until now monopolized by the EPA companies.

Market officials, speaking to energypress, noted that details of legislation introduced to open up the gas market to competition is instead discouraging new players from entering the market as a result of the increased distribution cost they face.