At a time when government officials are locked in negotiations with the country’s creditor representatives over revisions demanded by the latter to the NOME auctions, introduced in October as a tool to reduce the main power utility PPC’s market dominance, the utility has made a slight retail electricity market share gain, according to early unofficial figures covering November, sources have informed energypress.

The lenders want PPC to supply greater electricity amounts to the market through the NOME auctions.

Rather than lose ground since the NOME arrival, PPC gained about half a percentage point in November, the sources informed, following a month of virtual stagnancy in October, despite ambitious promotional campaigns launched by independent electricity suppliers seeking to increase their respective market shares.

PPC’s resilience has no doubt been backed by a 15 percent discount introduced last summer for customers paying their electricity bills on time. The measure appears to be maturing in the minds of consumers as one that is sufficient enough to keep them at PPC.

If the early electricity market data for November is confirmed, then Greece risks missing a bailout-related requirement demanding that PPC’s market share fall to 87.24 percent by the end of 2016 as a step towards an ultimate reduction to less than 50 percent by the end of 2019. The utility’s market share must fall to 75.24 percent by the end of 2017, 62.24 percent by the end of 2018 and 49.24 percent by the end of 2019.

According to official data, for October, published by LAGIE, the Electricity Market Operator, PPC held an 87.99 percent market share – 55.78 percent in the low-voltage category, 17.8 percent in the medium-voltage category and 14.62 percent in the high-voltage category,

As for the independent electricity suppliers, Heron held a 3.08 percent share in October – 0.79% low-voltage and 2.29% medium-voltage.

Protergia followed with 3.01 percent – 0.77% low-voltage and 2.24% medium-voltage.

Elpedison was next with 2.51 percent – 1.07% low-voltage, 1.42% medium-voltage and 0.02% high voltage.

NRG Trading held a 0.95 percent share – 0.23% low-voltage and 0.72% medium-voltage.

Volterra captured 0.83 percent, all in the medium-voltage category.

Watt + Volt held 0.66 percent – 0.57% low-voltage and 0.99% medium-voltage.

Green was next with 0.47 percent – 0.24% low-voltage and 0.23% medium-voltage.