The energy ministry is considering to extend RES project deadlines, by a considerable number of months, both for projects that have secured tariffs at auctions or through non-competitive procedures, as a result of difficulties encountered by investors amid the ongoing pandemic, sources have informed.

The ministry has acknowledged the far greater degree of difficulty entailed in developing RES projects during the pandemic, the sources said. Problems encountered by investors have ranged from delivery delays of equipment to construction difficulties.

The ministry, according to the sources, is planning to extend, by six months, an existing April 30 deadline for non-auction tariffs secured by PV project investors. This would effectively enable small-scale 500 KW PV projects being developed by private investors to adopt an existing reference tariff price of 65.74 euros per MWh until October 30, when ready to operate.

Also, an existing tariff price of 68.86 euros per MWh for energy communities appears headed for an extension.

The ministry also intends to offer a ten-month deadline extension for the launch of projects being developed through competitive procedures without the loss of tariff prices already secured.

In addition, the ministry appears likely to extend a June 30 deadline for connection agreements concerning energy communities, up to 18 MW, formed through non-competitive procedures. Though the additional time to be granted for this category has yet to be decided, an extension ranging from three to six months is being considered.