Aerio Attikis

Non-interconnected island gains for independent players

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A sizeable chunk of electricity users on the non-interconnected islands signed up with independent suppliers, primarily Elpedison, in the first half of 2023, a latest monthly report released by distribution network operator DEDDIE/HEDNO has shown.

Power utility PPC’s market share on the non-interconnected islands contracted from 68.4 percent in January to 60.3 percent in June, mostly to the benefit of Elpedison, whose market share on these islands rose from 7.33 percent in January to 13.8 percent in June, the DEDDIE/HEDNO figures showed.

Fellow independent power suppliers Heron, Mytilineos, NRG, Volterra, Aerio Attikis and Zenith also achieved market share gains over the six-month period.

Heron’s market share rose to 7.73 percent from 6.96 percent; Mytilineos increased its share to 6.22 percent from 4.16 percent; Watt + Volt’s market share contracted to 3.78 percent from 4.9 percent; NRG increased its share to 3.54 percent from 2.71 percent; Aerio Attikis made a marginal gain to 1.7 percent from 1.68 percent, as did Zenith with a rise to 0.83 percent from 0.76 percent and Volterra, whose market share rose to 0.26 percent in June from 0.2 percent in January.

Wholesale power price falls 21% in March, reshuffled retailer rankings

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The country’s day-ahead market took a further step away from the energy crisis in March, price levels falling considerably, both year-to-year and compared to the previous month, the Hellenic Energy Exchange’s monthly report has shown.

The Greek wholesale electricity market’s DAM averaged a price level of 122.76 euros per MWh in March, down by 21.4 percent compared to February, when it ended the month with an average of 156.24 euros per MWh.

Local DAM prices peaked at 272.68 euros per MWh in March, 2022, when Russia’s war on Ukraine began to impact wholesale electricity and gas markets throughout Europe, and have since fallen by 55 percent.

Despite this price de-escalation, levels remain well above pre-energy crisis levels. In March, 2021, for instance, the wholesale electricity price in Greece averaged 57.64 euros per MWh, less than half the current level.

As for the country’s energy mix, renewables were ranked the most dominant contributor for yet another month in March, contributing 35 percent. Electricity imports were sizeable in March, covering 23 percent of the energy mix, the equivalent contribution of natural gas. Lignite was ranked fourth with a 13 percent share contribution to the Greek energy mix last month, the Hellenic Energy Exchange report showed.

In the retail electricity market, power utility PPC, the dominant player, experienced a market-share contraction in March to 61.53 percent from 63 percent, a loss gained by the independent suppliers.

Heron established itself as the new market leader among the independent electricity suppliers in March, capturing a 7.53 percent share, up from 7.24 percent. Mytilineos slipped to second place with 7.47 percent, down marginally from 7.49 percent, while Elpedison followed with 6.07 percent, up from 6 percent.

The list of top ten electricity retailers in Greece was completed by NRG, capturing 5.14 percent, up from 4.85 percent; Aerio Attikis, at 3.15 percent from 2.97 percent; Watt & Volt, 2.78% (2.08%); Volterra, 2.09% (1.92%); Zenith, 2.02% (2.14%); and Volton, 0.87% (0.98%).

 

Power usage in February falls for 8th month in a row, down by 2.25%

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Electricity usage in Greece fell for an eighth successive month in February, dropping by 2.25 percent, compared to the equivalent month a year earlier, data in a latest report from power grid operator IPTO has shown.

However, the February drop was far milder than the 13.78 percent electricity usage decline recorded in January.

Consumers in Greece used an electricity amount of 4,069 GWh in February, down from 4,163 GWh in February, 2022.

Monthly electricity usage in the country has not stopped declining since an initial fall registered last July.

Renewable energy dominated February’s energy mix, capturing a 41.2 percent share, followed by gas-fueled power stations, with 22.5 percent, and lignite-fired power stations, at 15 percent.

As for retail electricity market shares, power utility PPC, the dominant player, gained 2.5 percent in February. compared to the previous month, for a 62.58 percent market share.

Among the independent suppliers, Protergia, a member of the Mytilineos group, remained at the forefront in February with a 7.44 percent retail market share, down from 10.53 percent a month earlier.

The country’s two other vertically integrated energy groups followed. Heron ended January with a 7.03 percent market share, up from 6.83 percent, and Elpedison captured a 5.91 percent market share, down from 6.02 percent.

Elsewhere, NRG captured a 4.82 percent retail electricity market share in January, up from 4.55 percent, followed by Aerio Attikis at 2.78 percent, marginally above the previous month’s 2.66 percent; Zenith registered 2.23 percent (2.17%); Watt & Volt was at 2.09 percent (2.06%); and Volterra captured 1.81 percent (1.8%). The remainder of suppliers shared a total of 3.3 percent.

 

Minor retail electricity market share changes in target model era

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The domestic introduction, just under two years ago, of the target model, aiming to integrate the wholesale electricity markets of all EU member states, has brought about little change in the market shares of suppliers.

Power utility PPC’s retail market share has contracted by just over 4 percent, from 66.33 percent in November, 2020, to 62.01 percent in September, 2022, a loss unequally divided between independent suppliers.

In September, 2022, PPC’s retail market share fell to 62.01 percent from 64.41 percent a month earlier, while, during the same period, the collective market share of independent suppliers increased from 35.59 percent to 37.99 percent.

During this one-month period, HERON rose to second place among the independent electricity suppliers with a market share of 6.8 percent, behind Protergia, a member of the Mytilineos group, whose market share rose to 8.65 percent in September from 7.2 percent in August.

Elpedison dropped to third place among the independent suppliers with a 6.54 percent share in September, a marginal rise from 6.49 percent in August.

NRG, which is ranked fourth among the independent suppliers, also experienced a marginal increase in its market share to 4.76 percent from 4.7 percent, as did fifth-placed Aerio Attikis, reaching 2.34 percent from 2.13 percent.

Debate, amid the energy crisis, is still going strong about the rules for consumer switches from one electricity supplier to another. An increased number of consumers are leaving behind unpaid electricity bills when switching suppliers, fresh market data has shown, prompting a supplier association to call for restrictions.

Supplier consumer shifts grind to virtual halt in 3rd quarter

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Consumer shifts from one electricity supplier to another grinded to a virtual halt in the third quarter of this year, independent suppliers gaining a total of just 1,440 household and small-business customers during the three-month period, compared to the previous quarter, data provided by distribution network operator DEDDIE/HEDNO has shown.

Power utility PPC, the dominant market player, increased its number of household and small business customers by a 850 in the third quarter compared to the previous quarter.

This means that the individual fluctuations of alternative suppliers were caused by movements between private companies.

At the end of September, independent suppliers represented 1.68 million low-voltage customers, while PPC represented approximately 4.97 million.

Zenith gained the biggest number of customers in the third quarter, the company’s rise exceeding 17,000. Heron, Aerio Attikis and Elpedison also gained customers during this period, 7,700, 4,200 and 2,300, respectively. Volton suffered the greatest loss of customers, 13,600, according to the DEDDIE/HEDNO data.

Protergia topped the list of independent players with approximately 287,000 low-voltage customers, followed by Elpedison (276,000) and Heron (249,000), the DEDDIE/HEDNO figures showed.

 

PPC loss of low-voltage customers slows down in 2Q

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Data for the year’s second quarter has shown a slowdown in power utility PPC’s market share contraction rate in the low voltage category.

PPC’s reduced loss of customers in the second quarter has been primarily attributed to the utility’s modernized commercial policy and a more focused marketing strategy.

Between April and June, a total of 68,000 households and small businesses, a monthly average of just over 22,000, left PPC for other electricity suppliers, down from a monthy exit rate of between 30,000 and 35,000 over the past year and a half.

The higher exit rate of PPC customers was maintained until the end of the first quarter, when 103,000 customers left the utility over the three-month period.

PPC represented 5.1 million of the country’s 6.6 million low-voltage connections around the country in the second quarter, a 75.1 percent share.

Low-voltage customers represented by independent electricity suppliers reached the level of 1.5 million for the first time.

Among the independent suppliers, Protergia, a member of the Mytilineos group, was at the forefront, according to second quarter data, with a 3.94 percent share, followed by Elpedison (3.67%), Heron (3.32%), Watt & Volt (2.6%), Zenith (2.48%), Volton (1.75%), NRG (1.99%), Aerio Attikis (1.5%) and Volterra (0.57%).

Minimal customer mobility registered in natural gas market

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Little movement from one supplier to another has been observed in the country’s retail natural gas market despite the entry into this market by virtually all of the country’s electricity suppliers from the beginning of the year.

The capital’s Aerio Attikis and the north’s Zenith, both older gas suppliers, have lost a minimal amount of customers in their respective regions and are even managing to secure a small number of new supply contracts in each other’s regions.

Independent electricity suppliers seeking to also penetrate the country’s natural gas market have secured no more than 1,000 new supply contracts in total.

The lack of mobility witnessed in the gas market has been attributed to the lack of leeway available to new suppliers for appealing packages.

Retail natural gas prices are determined by wholesale price levels,  which change constantly and do not enable suppliers to guarantee specific price terms to prospective customers.

Major energy sector players such as the main power utility PPC and petroleum firm Motor Oil are expected to also enter Greece’s retail natural gas market within the next few weeks, while all players are preparing combined electricity-gas packages, a development that could prompt some mobility.