That’s the never ending story of electricity bills skyrocketing with the adding of the emergency property tax. Greeks are called to pay several hundreds euro month in month out. With many declaring they are sheer unable to meet this kind of expenses.
Even thought the Finance Ministry made some arrangement last year, people still rush to local Public Power Company (DEH) offices to make other arrangements and avoid electricity outages. Because emergency property tax installments still charge the electricity bill with extra euro.
On Tuesday, the CEO of DEH, Arthouros Zervos, announced the establishment of committees that will check who is unable to pay for electricity and who simply gets advantage of the economic crisis.
“We follow the issue and soon there will be measures,” Zervos said, adding “We have to find out where’s the real problem. We check the individual cases, but that’s not enough. We need a thorough solution.”
“During 2011, more than 400,000 households asked for arrangements in payments of outstanding debts to PPC. In 2012, the number of households rose to 700,000,” Zervos stressed estimating that the number of households expected to seek arrangement in 2013 will be even higher.
How does a PPC arrangement look like?
Supposedly a household has 1,000 euro outstanding debt to PPC, an amount summed up from several months electricity consumption, several additional fees and emergency property tax.
PPC issues three installments of 300-400 euro to be paid in the 3 upcoming months.
How many low-pensioners or jobless can pay this amount of money every month just for electricity?
I went into Xavia DEI office over a month late with a 200 euro bill…I spoke with a ‘customer advisor’ and asked if there was any help for disabled people and the woman explained 2 dimos payments , ERT, property tax (30 euros per month), tax! and oh, yes, some electric….and said confidently and comfortably “No there is no help, no help with bills..for anyone”. So…now I understand…but does the government???
anyone can ask for arrangement for outstanding debt – more installments to pay it. and disabled can have so-called ‘social pricing’ (κοινωνικό τιμολόγιο). one can also submit application online. in dei.gr