Energy: How much subsidies lowered bills

Much of the electricity price hikes have been avoided by consumers, with subsidies starting last September and – according to assurances by Environment and Energy Minister Costas Skrekas, they will be maintained for as long as the energy crisis lasts.

During a period when prices are shaping both internationally and in our country at record highs, the introduction of subsidies has resulted in, among other things, Greece being, last month, one of the three EU countries where the final, real prices consumption for electricity decreased compared to December, while in other countries they increased.

Specifically, according to data from the Energy Exchange, government announcements on the subsidy of electricity bills and the monthly survey on electricity retail prices in 33 European countries conducted by the energy regulators of Austria and Hungary (https: //www.energypriceindex.com/), the image for the values ​​is as follows:

-In Greece (Athens) the average price of electricity including taxes in January was 18.51 cents per kilowatt hour (185.1 euros per megawatt hour), compared to 26.07 cents per kilowatt hour which was the EU-27 average . The most expensive EU countries are Germany (50.07 cents / kwh), Denmark (46.69) and Belgium (45.87 cents / kwh).

-In the same month, in January, the wholesale price of electricity in Greece was 227.3 euros per megawatt hour. The fact that the retail is at levels lower than the wholesale price, is due to the subsidies applied in the last six months and as everything shows, they will continue in the next period.

-In January the average price of electricity in the EU increased to 26.07 cents / kilowatt hour from 23.44 cents in December. In Greece, on the other hand, the average price decreased to 18.51 cents, from 22.55 cents / kilowatt hour in December. Prices fell in Greece, the Netherlands and Norway while rising in all other countries. The largest increases were in Romania (46%) and Germany (38%).

The decrease in prices last month does not mean that they have returned to reasonable levels, but they remain at a record point, which explains the need to maintain state subsidies. An additional PPC official said last week that the current price levels are not sustainable for the majority of consumers and for this reason – he added – the company will continue the policy of discounts, in addition to subsidies provided by the State.