PM to chair meeting on Greek energy sufficiency

With anxiety in Europe escalating over Moscow’s stance after the end of the ten-day maintenance period on the Nord Stream 1 pipeline on July 21, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis called a meeting on the country’s energy supply security measures.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis at 4:00 p.m. will be informed by the Minister of Environment and Energy Kostas Skrekas, the crisis management team i.e. the representatives of RAE, IPTO, National Natural Gas System Operator (DESFA) as well as PPC and DEPA Commerce about the simulation exercises that are being carried out in order for the Greek energy system to cope in case of interruption of the gas supply to Europe but also in the scenario of the shutdown of the Turk Stream pipeline that transports Russian gas to Greece.

Europe’s security of supply debate is now dominated by yesterday’s announcements by Gazprom, which said it could not guarantee the supply of gas through Nord Stream 1 as it was unable to have an idea of ​​whether the turbine sent to Canada for maintenance will be back. This is critical equipment of the pipeline, for which Siemens announced last week that they have found a way for the turbine to be released for re-installment.

Power adequacy of Greece

Although the interruption of the supply of Russian gas through Turk Stream seems an unlikely scenario, the Greek government is nevertheless preparing for the possibility of a blackout of Nord Stream, which will have a chain effect on the energy sufficiency of the whole of Europe.

For example, it is uncertain whether it will be possible to supply the Old Continent with quantities of LNG due to the boom in demand that will trigger Gazprom’s shut-off of Nord Stream 1.

The Prime Minister and the Minister of Environment and Energy have repeatedly given assurances that Greece faces the least risk in terms of security of supply. The measures taken are:

1. The installation of the floating LNG tank in Revythoussa, to start operations at the end of the month.

2. Increase in LNG imports

3. The uninterrupted operation of PPC’s lignite units, while Ptolemaida 5 will also enter the system in September.

4. The readiness of private units as well as PPC units that currently operate with natural gas to alter equipment to burn diesel for electricity production.

5. The further increase of gas imports from the TAP pipeline

6. Plan to cut gas exports and limit the power consumption of industries, if there is a complete interruption of Russian gas.