An Athens Court of First Instance decision delivered yesterday, temporarily exempting only vulnerable households from electricity-bill increases triggered by a power utility PPC wholesale-price clause included in the company’s bills, comes as a firm warning that subdues the hopes of consumers believing they could get away with unpaid energy bills.

Two consumer protection groups, Ekpoizo and Inka, had filed a case requesting a temporary suspension of electricity supply cut orders in cases concerning consumers who refuse to pay increased energy costs resulting from PPC’s wholesale-price clause in electricity bills.

According to the Athens court’s decision, vulnerable households will not face electricity supply cuts until the issue has been finalized through a Supreme Court decision at a latter date.

Individuals with serious health issues, households under the energy-poverty line, as well as elderly citizens aged 70 and above were already treated with greater tolerance prior to yesterday’s court decision.

The verdict eases authority fears of a rise in a movement of consumers not willing to cooperate, or fully cooperate, on energy-bill costs, a danger that could eventually create systemic problems in the energy market.