Alternative electricity providers

As it was mentioned in our previous article, Greece has great investment opportunities in the field of renewable energy. The society can only move to the sphere of green growth, only if it adopts an environmental policy that involves substantial action, aiming at energy sustainability and environmental protection. These actions offer to consumers, better quality of life and access to cheaper energy (CFLL, 2014). But, where this development is applied and why the Greek consumers are not informed? Commercially, in order to assimilate a new good in the market, consumers must have trustfulness in the product and the product has to be economically available for the consumer to acquire it. In Greece, the ability to acquire goods is actually reduced, but even the most affluent consumers do not trust alternative power providers. This lack of confidence is rooted in the emerging scandal of Energa Hellas Power, with 256 million euros of money laundering (energypress, 2015). With the closure of the company, electricity consumers had to re-pay a warranty to PPC SA (Public Power Corporation), in order to be transported back. With the ongoing dialogue, financial and legal provisions have been created to ensure optimal confidence in the consumer. The main moves are:

1.       After the appropriate moves reported by R.A.E. (Regulatory Authority for Energy) (RAE, 2017a) are follower,  a complaint form can be prepared and, if there is a violation of the terms of the contract, the issue will be further investigated

2.       The R.A.E. will be able to modify the marketing authorization or even withdraw the production or marketing license (PAE, 2017b).

3.       The purchase of electricity is done by prepaying the electricity to PPC, so the risk is transferred to the provider.

4.       From 2013, RAE, with Decision No. 114/2013 (Government Gazette B '682 / 22-03-2013) created the consumers of the "last shelter". In case of bankruptcy or any termination of the activity of one of the electricity providers, PBC SA undertakes to provide power to these consumers until they settle down to a new provider (PAE, 2017c).

     But, who are those power suppliers? Up to now RAE has licensed 39 companies (including affiliates) to trade electricity, such as PPC, elpedison, KEN, etc. If a company comes in contact with you and is not on the RAE list, it is probably a fraud (RAE, 2017d). 

Figure 1. Alternative electricity providers’ logos in Greece

As it is natural for each company to have its own pricelist, the analogous prices are shown in Table 1.

Table 1. 2017 Prices of different providers (€/kWh) 

Suppliers	Γ1 (Home)	Γ21	Γ22	Γ23
PPC	0.094	0.1015	0.0826	0.1135
Volterra	0.085	0.085	0.072	0.095
Heron	0.085	0.093	0.071	0.099
Elpedison	0.0895	0.093	0.0799	0.099
Protergia	0.0898	0.0953	0.0756	0.1043
Green Energy	0.0875	0.0915	0.825	0.11
Watt and Volt	0.085	0.085	0.069	0.98
NRG	0.0895	0.093	0.0795	0.1025
KEN	0.0890	0.093	0.075	0.09
Volton	0.08987	0.09341	0.07598	0.1044
Hellenic Post	0.086	0.091	0.075	0.098

These prices refer to the official prices offered by each company. They do not represent the final bill as there are programs and fees that vary from company to company.

For your best interest, ask us.

Sources (in Greek)

·         Energy press (2015) Energa - Hellas Power: The offshore "maze" of 256 million. Available: https://energypress.gr/news/energa-hellas-power-o-lavyrinthos-ton-offshore-poy- ekryve-256-ekat (accessed 09/10/2017)

·         CCBM (2014) Green Entrepreneurship. Available: http://kdvm.gr/Media/Default/Pdf%20enotites/1.7.pdf (accessed 09/10/2017)

·         RAE (2017a) Problems with the provider. Available: http://www.rae.gr/site/brochure/3/index.html (accessed 09/10/2017)

·         RAE (2017b) License revocation. Available: http://www.rae.gr/site/categories_new/renewable_power/licence/revoke.csp (accessed 09/10/2017)

·         RAE (2017c) Conscious Choice of Power Supplier and forced representation. Available: http://www.rae.gr/site/file/system/docs/misc1/20102011/07082013_02;jsessionid=98cb143f48844bafc9a04c60963009b7149fec5ceac33d269c9739d75c1c0987.e38OchqPa34Na40NchaTaNqKbhv0n6jAmljGr5XDqQLvpAe (accessed 09/10/2017)

·         RAE (2017d) Licenses for electricity trading. Available: http://www.rae.gr/site/file/system/docs/registry/prom (accessed 09/10/2017)