RAE, the Regulatory Authority for Energy, is gearing up to intensify its monitoring of the Greek energy market’s gas and electricity operators with the aim of minimizing operator surcharges for consumers and helping improve operator services, the authority’s chief executive, Thanassis Dagoumas, has told a news conference, reiterating the intention, also stressed during a recent presentation of its annual report.

The regulatory authority’s plan includes commissioning certified auditors to inspect the financial data of market operators.

Gas grid operator DESFA, gas distributors EDA Attiki, EDA THESS and DEDA, as well as the power grid operator IPTO and electricity distribution network operator DEDDIE can, as a result, expected closer inspections.

The authority intends to commence its intensified monitoring effort with the natural gas sector, where numerous new projects are planned for development, in an effort to ensure fair surcharge costs for consumers.

Dagoumas, at the news conference, reiterated that the operators, whose revenues are regulated, cannot enjoy wider profit margins than other market players.

Operators will be offered incentives for swifter completion of projects, which, combined with the stricter monitoring effort, will result in either bonuses or penalties, depending on the degree of progress made, the RAE chief highlighted once again.

RAE intends to introduce incentive-based policies, standard practice around Europe, for all energy market operators active in transmission and distribution.