Safety net against energy hikes

The government is to approve today an increase in the subsidies set aside for protecting consumers from energy rate hikes, from 400 million to 470 million euros, Energy Minister Kostas Skrekas announced on Saturday. He also gave details on the reconnection hotline for vulnerable households.

The extra cash will be transferred to the Energy Transition Fund and used to ease the pressure on households by subsidizing their power bills. The minister did not rule out a further increase in subsidies, saying that the government will monitor rate hikes month by month and act accordingly.

Skrekas further announced the creation of a four-digit emergency telephone number for the reconnection of cut off households. They must be “absolutely incapable of covering their energy bills, whether that is is electricity or natural gas,” he told Skai TV.

Households will be able to call that number, triggering a procedure with the transfer of their demand to their municipal authority and the three-member assessment committees, that will approve the immediate reconnection in the following hours of those truly needing support. The state will then cover the cost of reconnection and heating in the following months.