The finalization of the energy package for industry is in the home stretch, with information speaking of a sum close to €100 million and the processes intensifying so that it can be announced by the Prime Minister next Tuesday from the podium of SEV.
At least that is the goal, and in this context yesterday’s meeting of the political leadership of the Ministry of Environment & Energy (Papastavrou - Tsafos - Paliarouta) with the leadership of the association at the Ministry was also held.
“We are having a discussion with the ministry, we believe that we are on the right track and we hope for a solution soon, so that the measures can be announced at the General Assembly on October 6”, as SEV President, Spiros Theodoropoulos, characteristically tells Εuro2day.gr.
In the government they know that the business world expects to hear from the Prime Minister next week specific measures and not a repeat of what happened last year, when despite the expectations that had been cultivated for announcements at the General Assembly, these were ultimately postponed to a later time.
This is also the reason why, as everything shows, a race against time is being made so that the final parameters can be included in the package over the next 24 hours, with the final support scheme still under formulation, as also shown by the rather careful wording of the announcement by the Ministry.
“An effort is being made to support industrial production and competitiveness, taking into account on the one hand the country’s fiscal capabilities and on the other the current European institutional framework”, it is characteristically stated.
Retroactive coverage, different by category
In any case, the package under discussion will activate the European tools for providing state aid CISAF (Clean Industrial Deal State Aid Framework) and METSAF (Middle East Crisis Temporary State Aid Framework) and will subsidize the electricity price for all industries, with the aim of having retroactive effect.
Both for the large ones that are already being supported through compensation for CO2 costs, and for the medium-sized or smaller ones that currently have no support “umbrella” at all and with the joint letter a few days ago by 16 associations and bodies, urgently raised the issue with the government.
What the small ones will get
According to the information, the coverage will not concern the same time period for the two categories. In the category of small industries, which includes those absolutely exposed to the energy crisis, the direction is for the beneficiaries to be subsidized retroactively for the whole of 2026.
It was judged that, having gone so many years without the slightest support, these businesses need a longer coverage period. This specific group includes hundreds of small and medium-sized enterprises with total annual consumption of 1-1.5 TWh. EVIKEN estimates them at 600 supply points, however the Ministry speaks of fewer.
In their case, two European state aid tools will be used in combination:
- From January until probably July - August, CISAF, which is already being used by Germany, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Ireland, Poland and Austria. It allows industries to have an electricity price 50% lower for up to 50% of their annual consumption. In essence, that means the price subsidy amounts to 25%. It sets a minimum price of €50/MWh (5 cents/KWh).
- And from the above period until December 2026, the more reinforced European tool METSAF, which was approved last April precisely because of the crisis in the Middle East. The tool raises the level of the subsidy up to 70% of the electricity price, always for 50% of the beneficiary’s annual consumption.
Both in the case of CISAF and in that of METSAF, 50% of the subsidies must be transformed by the industries into “green” investments.
What is being discussed for the large ones
In the category of the larger ones, which concern 70 meters and already receive compensation for CO2 costs, the direction is for them to be subsidized retroactively but from July 2026 onward, when the large increases in the wholesale price began. The duration of the support in this case as well will be until December 2026 and the subsidy will always concern 50% of annual consumption.
This category represents the lion’s share of total industrial consumption, namely 6.5-7 terawatt-hours per year.
In the case of the large ones, the subsidy will come through the newer tool, which came into force in April, METSAF, therefore the percentage reduction in the electricity price can reach up to 70%.
But because these businesses already receive compensation for offsetting, the total support cannot exceed 50% of the maximum electricity subsidy through CISAF, as amended by METSAF.
What electricity price they will pay
On the question that is “burning” industry, namely how much they will ultimately pay for the wholesale electricity price, the answer is linked to the country’s fiscal endurance and constitutes the main chapter that remains to be finalized in order for the package to be closed.
In any case, both European tools provide that after the subsidy, the wholesale price for the beneficiary cannot fall below €50/MWh (5 cents/KWh). This is also the ideal scenario for Greek energy-intensive businesses.
It is noted that September closed with an average wholesale price of €156/MWh, compared with €133/MWh in August and €109.95/MWh in July.