Officials representing main power utility PPC and high-voltage consuming major-scale industrial enterprises are negotiating in earnest for new tariff deals to replace temporary arrangements. PPC is staging separate negotiations with each of the industrial enterprises.

PPC reports of sound progress being made have been confirmed by industrial company officials, while it is believed the first batch of agreements may be signed imminently.

The country’s large number of medium-voltage consuming industries has been left to wait for the time being.

The apparent progress being made between PPC and industrial enterprises for improved high-voltage tariff agreements, likely to lead to deals by the end of the year, has prompted thoughts among industrialists as to why another energy cost-saving initiative for the industrial sector, the “disruption management” plan – to enable savings for major-scale industry in exchange for shifting energy usage to off-peak hours whenever required by IPTO, the power grid operator – remains pending.

Refering to the issue yesterday, energy minister Panos Skourletis contended the country’s lenders, not Greek officials, are to blame for the “disruption management” plan’s delay.

An industrial sector authority noted an additional period of about three months would be needed to implement the plan once an agreement between Greece and the institutions is signed.

On another front, PPC’s recently announced new campaign to collect overdue unpaid electricity bills may have led to a reduction of the total number of consumers owing amounts to the utility, down from 2.5 million customers to 2.1 million, but the overall amount owed to PPC has risen to over 2.2 billion euros. Latest news claims the arrears figure has now struck 2.5 billion euros.

PPC officials have attributed the aforementioned trends to a lack of cooperation among larger debtors. The utility will continue to press on with its aggressive collections policy, it has said.