An electronic platform allowing households to apply for a power bill rebates, to offset higher bills, will open on June 16, Greek Alternate Finance Minister Theodoros Skylakakis announced, although the government will try to have it up and running by June 15.
The so-called Power Pass will provide cash rebates ranging from 18 euros to 600 euros for bills issued between December 1, 2021 and 31 May, 2022 and will cover 60% of the surplus charges on bills from the energy price hikes, minus the state subsidies and any the providers have given.
Beneficiaries include households with a net family income in 2020 of up to 45,000 euros and homes with non-fixed price contracts (contracts that follow wholesale energy market price fluctuations). It also concerns the main home of a family, but also applies to rentals for children that are studying away from home (within Greece). In cases of two beneficiaries for the same home, the rebate is split between them.
Some examples follow below:
– If the bill was 600 euros higher than usual for the above-noted period of consumption, the cash rebate after subtracting the subsidies already provided (by government and/or provider) will be 360 euros.
– If the bill was 1,000 euros or more above the usual, the cash rebate will be 600 euros, again minus subsidies already provided.
Power providers are expected to furnish the government with the necessary data, while applications of all potential beneficiaries will be cross-checked with tax records. Cash rebates will be deposited directly into personal bank accounts.
The government warned that if tax or other authorities discover fraudulent claims, the claimant will be fined with double the expected rebate.
