Supplier surcharge a regulated charge, EVIKEN reminds

Any decision to consolidate the current RES-supporting supplier surcharge paid by electricity suppliers and force them to incorporate it into their competitive pricing policies, even though this surcharge clearly represents a regulated charge that was introduced to support the RES sector, would amount to a stab in the back for the competitiveness of Greek industry at a time when efforts are being made to revitalize Greek industry, EVIKEN, the Association of Industrial Energy Consumers, has underlined in a letter forwarded to energy ministry Giorgos Stathakis and highly-ranked associates.

Consumers are already paying a high-leveled ETMEAR RES-supporting surcharge and, therefore, are entitled to lower wholesale electricity prices, currently the most expensive in Europe by far, the association noted in its letter.

Also, if the supplier surcharge is consolidated and, as a result, passed on to consumer electricity bills rather than being absorbed by suppliers, as is the case at present, then this would eliminate the benefits of relief measures offered to energy-intensive industrial enterprises, EVIKEN supported.

Thirdly, Greece’s revised bailout demands a full replacement of the supplier surcharge, EVIKEN reminded in its letter to the government officials.

Recent media reports have suggested the supplier surcharge could be extended.