PPC industrial rate drop refusal prompts extrajudicial action

Greek industrial enterprises among the 60 or so belonging to the medium-voltage category with consumption levels of over 13 GWh per year have forwarded extrajudicial statements to the Deputy Minister of Industry Theodora Tzagri and RAE, the Regulatory Authority for Energy, to inform of the impasse in their negotiations with PPC, the main power utility, for lower electricity tariffs concerning the current year. The industrial companies underlined their levels of competitiveness are being affected.

According to energypress sources, these medium-voltage industrial firms – which belong to different electricity consuming PPC categories than the high-voltage units and other medium-voltage units consuming less than 13 GWh per year – delivered extrajudicial statements as they have expected PPC to make tariff adjustments based on the utility’s reduced operating costs amid the current market conditions. Natural gas and petrol prices have fallen, while a number of regulatory changes have also further contributed to PPC’s lower operating costs.

Sources told energypress that, just days ago, PPC informed medium-voltage industrial firms it cannot make any tariff reductions, prompting the extrajudicial reaction, a possible prelude to legal action, by the industrial firms. PPC had received the findings of a cost-related study commissioned to a foreign consulting firm when it delivered the unfavorable news, sources said.

Until now, PPC officials had contended tariff reductions for 2015, compared to rates offered for 2013 and 2014, could not be considered unless the results of the cost-related study were delivered.

Medium-voltage industrial firms feel that they are being unfairly treated as they are charged the highest tariffs, overall, in the industrial sector. They argue PPC has leeway to reduce their tariffs, basing this argument on a tariff reduction granted last summer to medium-voltage industrial enterprises consuming between 10 and 13 GWh per year.