Plenty of work is still needed for a launch, by the end of this year, of a RES-supporting ETMEAR surcharge adjustment plan for the industrial sector, even though the Greek government did forward its proposal to the European Commission early in autumn.

According to sources, no party has yet to be commissioned the task of establishing an electronic platform needed to serve as a registry hosting all related data of firms eligible for the cost-saving ETMEAR adjustments. The registry’s data will be applied by authorities to calculate the respective levels of ETMEAR surcharge savings industrial enterprises will be entitled to.

Given the pending issues, ratification by Greek lawmakers of the new ETMEAR surcharge system within December does not guarantee its swift launch.

According to the Greek proposal, based on EU directives dating back to 2014, the ETMEAR surcharge for electro-intensity enterprises – defined as those whose electricity costs exceed 20 percent of gross added value – will be set at a maximum of 0.5 percent of their gross added value. Steel and cement producers may utilize this term as an energy-cost relief measure.

Energy-intensive enterprises whose electricity costs are less than 20 percent of their gross added value will be responsible for ETMEAR costs of no more than 4 percent of their gross added value, according to the adjusted terms. Few enterprises are expected to qualify for this category.

A minimum ETMEAR price of 0.3 euros per MWh will be offered for certain sectors such as the steel and aluminium industries, according to the plan.