The hike will be followed by big increases in electricity

Old habits die gard for George Papaconstantinou who, after not being able to impose a tax increase, is now ready to increase electricity tariffs. Indeed, as the property fee has been legalized based on the commitments of our country to its creditors, so will the increases in power become permanent.

As is apparent from information provided by the environment minister to selected media - which, of course, could not include protothema.gr - the government is bent on increasing electricity tariffs even into the double digits in two installments, one at the start of the New Year and one during the second half.

According to the same information, groups of charges will remain the same. For each of these there will increases of different levels, while there will be an attempt for smaller charges to the lower social groups, though the most recent update was characterized by a contrasting sense.

These increases will be applied in order for the electricity tariffs to meet the costs of electricity for all categories of customers. However, the cost figures cited by the state electricity company for the last period, which are also leading to a weighted average increase of 19%, are deemed quite high.

Based on the relevant recommendations by the Energy Regulatory Authority, the creation of a mechanism for automatic adjustment of tariffs using changes in costs of electricity seems quite likely. If at the end of each semester there are deviations from the cost, tariffs will be adjusted in the next semester either upwards or downwards.

But why did we mention earlier that the increase in electricity will become permanent? Because as of 1/1/2013, the costs of electricity will increase due to the impending abolition of the free distribution of emission allowances to industries involved in producing electricity. The charge for electricity is estimated to exceed 800 million euros per year and the first candidates for payment are none others than the usual suspects.

This is without including any new burdens on consumers through an increase in the RES fee, which can also be found in the PPC bills and is proposed to receive a major increase by relevant bodies, such as DESMIE, to enable support for producers of electricity through “green” energy sources.