‘Saving at Home’ subsidies platform still malfunctioning

An electronic platform launched for a follow-up “Saving at Home” program, offering a new round of subsidies to property owners for domestic energy efficiency upgrades, is continuing to malfunction following a recent crash prompted by a rush of applications.

The energy ministry-hosted platform (exoikonomisi.ypen.gr) was relaunched three days ago but its access has been patchy, at best.

Last night, an energy ministry announcement was uploaded onto the platform noting the website would remain closed until 8am today. It was still closed at this time and a new announcement postponing the opening time by two hours was uploaded. The platform eventually opened but its inconsistency has yet to convince that the technical problems are over.

It is believed that a swelling number of interested parties, in the thousands, have struggled to enter the platform since Monday’s launch. A total of 17,500 applications were submitted by yesterday, according to an energy ministry announcement.

A main opposition New Democracy party MP, Kostas Skrekas, stressing the “Saving at Home” program has been delayed by three years and postponed three times, demanded a public apology from energy minister Giorgos Stathakis and assurances that the platform’s technical issues have been resolved.

According to the ministry, the program’s budget is worth 250 million euros and can cover approximately 40,000 applications.

Following the platform’s initial crash, the energy ministry decided to geographically divide the application dates, eginning with of east Macedonia, Thrace, central Macedonia, Epirus, Thessaly, and western Greece three days ago.

As of March 26, the platform is planned to open for households in the Peloponnese, central Greece, west Macedonia, the Ionian Sea islands, north Aegean islands and Crete. An April 2 starting date has been set for applicants from the wider Athens area and southern Aegean.