The European
Union, through coordinated efforts, has over the last few years been promoting the creation of an integrated
electricity market. At the same time, the EU targets for the reduction of
greenhouse gas emissions have lead to the radical transformation of the power sector;
thus, both electricity markets and networks are in transition.
Most European
countries have already developed integrated electricity markets, but this does
not hold for most countries in SE Europe where developments are not
particularly satisfactory, despite the fact that Energy Community countries
(see the Western Balkans) have already committed to get every country coupled
with at least one of their neighbors by the middle of 2018.
The target
model for the integrated European market identifies the minimum requirements
that the individual national electricity market of each EU member state,
including Greece, should adopt in order to establish a common operating
architecture that will in turn lead to the coupling of EU markets and to
increased competition for the benefit of the final consumer. The main objective
of the integrated electricity market is to reduce the energy costs and to strengthen
the security of supply through the formation and gradual convergence of
electricity supply prices via mechanisms such as energy exchanges as well as
the strengthening and expansion of electricity interconnections among EU member
states.
IENE,
in view of the ongoing developments, decided to organize an in-depth
discussion on Greece’s electricity market, currently in transition, with the
presence of major market players and leading experts. Cross-border cooperation
with a view to make Greece a regional energy hub is an objective in the context
of the transition to an integrated market, with the creation of an energy exchange
that will contribute to this direction for the benefit of market participants
and end-users.
In this IENE
special event, the necessary changes in the organization and operation of the
domestic retail market in view of the ongoing decrease of PPC's market share,
and the entry of several new players will also be discussed. Key questions
about the future of Greece’s electricity market and competition in its retail
market is expected to spark a broad discussion, facilitating the exchange of
views between involved players and consumers. The main sponsors of this event include
PPC, Heron Thermoelectric SA
and ENSCO A.G.