A ministerial decision resulting in RES-supporting ETMEAR surcharge reductions for various electricity consumer groups, including households and businesses, has unsettled renewable energy producers, especially solar and wind energy investors, the sector’s overwhelming majority.

RES producers fear the RES special account’s current surplus could stumble back into deficit territory, which would prompt payment delays for output, as was the case in the not-too-distant past.

The exact cost of the surcharge reduction for the RES special account remains unclear.

Sector authorities estimate the surcharge redistribution will deprive the RES special account of between 160 and 200 million euros per year.

The ETMEAR surcharge, included in electricity bills, has been reduced by the energy ministry as a means of partially offsetting tariff hikes at state-controlled power utility, under financial pressure and needing greater cash inflow.

The RES special account’s surplus is projected to be 138.33 million euros at the end of 2019, following the deduction of a 70 million-euro amount maintained as a safety reserve, according to latest figures provided by DAPEEP, the renewable energy market operator.

This essentially means that if the ETMEAR surcharge reduction does deprive the RES special account of a sum between 160 and 200 million euros, as officials have warned, then part of the safety reserve amount will need to be used up. RES producers fear such a development could eventually drain the RES special account dry and take it back to deficit territory.

RES producers believe greater payment delays will be inevitable if additional measures are not taken, representatives told energypress, while acknowledging the energy ministry is aware of the looming problem.