PPC, the main power utility, launched a newly installed software system yesterday as a key tool in its effort to improve electricity bill collections. The level of unpaid overdue electricity bills owed by consumers has reached 1.9 billion euros, causing serious cash-flow problems at PPC.

SAP software programmed into PPC’s systems, expected to be fully operational by July, will enable cross-examination of consumer-related data, the prime objective being to spot consumers who are suspected of being capable but not willing to pay outstanding electricity bill amounts.

PPC will begin its collection campaign by initially targeting oldest and most substantial overdue amounts. Property size and electricity consumption patterns will also be taken into account.

The power utility hopes the new system will have greatly improved PPC’s standing by the end of this year.

The new SAP system will divide PPC consumers with outstanding electricity bills into five categories – 0-60 days, 61-120 days, 121-180 days, 181-360 days, and over a year.

The system will also sub-divide overdue bills based on amounts, starting from 0-3,000 euros, 3,001-10,000 euros, 10,001-50,000 euros, 50,001-100,000 euros, and over 100,001 euros. Sub-categories for households and professionals will be included here.

PPC plans to focus on the country’s regions one at a time and issue orders for electricity disconnections wherever this is deemed necessary.

PPC, now under new leadership, has already begun issuing disconnection orders for certain cases over the past month. A number of large-sized houses in the wider Athens area have had their power supply cut, as have over 200 cafeterias, hotels, and large enterprises in various part of the country.

The new SAP software replaces a previous system, ICS2 (Information Customer Service), installed over twenty years ago by US company Stone & Webster and given a Greek name, “Hermes”, by PPC.