PPC will not cut off our power for the time being

A solution, albeit temporary, has been given to the problem with the unpaid PPC bills and the company’s threat to cut off electricity for thousands of Greeks .

According to the announcement of the Company, PPC suspended for a few days the process of interrupted electricity to consumers who have not paid the property fee, at the request of the finance ministry, in order to establish the arrangements that have been announced for socially vulnerable groups.

The fierce reaction to the hike, the dire economic situation of more and more Greeks, and the fact that a new raise in property objective values is imminent, has made the ministry issue a partial retraction.

Already, the unpaid bills of electricity exceeded all previous records, not only due to the hike, but also because of the fact that the Greeks no longer have money to pay. It is estimated that only last month, about 70.000-80.000 consumers did not pay the property fee and thus their amount of electricity consumption.

In view of this situation, the Treasury is reviewing the whole matter and initially sent a request to the management of the PPC not to proceed with the issuing of orders to cut the electricity. Then it will seek milder terms for vulnerable social groups such as elderly people and those below the poverty line.  

Meanwhile, municipalities and several professional associations that are reacting to the hike are gearing up to dynamic action. First of all, on Friday afternoon GENOP proceeded to occupying the offices in Mesogeion where the orders for electricity cuts are issued. Chairman N. Fotopoulos said the takeover was carried out so that "no orders would leave for the houses of the poor, the unemployed or the small pensioners."

The municipal authority of Keratsini-Drapetsona has filed for an annulment of the ministerial decree for the property fee through PPC bills with the State Council, while it will legally support its citizens who don’t want to pay the special fee.

The municipality of Nikaia-Renti has moved to a similar action, even organizing a special event to inform its residents on this issue with the help of the Piraeus Lawyers Association.

Finally, the Federation of Greek Electricians invites all electricians to volunteer and reconnect the power "to any home of an unemployed poor fellow, whose power has been cut off."

Meanwhile, the service for the applications for exemption from the special property fee continues operating until the end of November. It serves overdue applications for beneficiaries of the reduced fee and the beneficiaries of exemption.

The beneficiary owners can apply to the agency for the Fiscal Year of 2011 by sending a short SMS.

The message must contain the following: ETA, space, TIN (Tax Identification Number) of the person entitled to the exemption, space, the number of the PPC provider, and it must be sent to 54160.