The Government is proceeding with another targeted social measure in the context of its continuous effort in order to compensate for the price increases in energy.
Yesterday, Thursday, December 2, 2021, the Council of Ministers approved a proposal by the Minister of Energy, Trade and Industry, Ms. Natasa Pileidou, to announce a Sponsorship Plan for the replacement of electrical appliances in the homes of vulnerable consumers. The Plan will provide incentives totaling € 5 million to replace energy-intensive electrical appliances with new high-energy ones.. The announcement of the Plan and the start date of submission of applications will be announced in the next period by the RES and FDI Fund, which will implement the Plan.
The Plan falls into the series compensatory measures announced by the Government in recent months to curb rising electricity prices, including a reduction in VAT on electricity bills to 5% for six months for vulnerable households, a reduction in VAT to 9% on electricity for three months for all other households and a 10% reduction in electricity tariffs for all consumers for the two months November - December 2021 and January - February 2022.
In her statements, the Minister stated that "and this measure strengthens the protection of our vulnerable fellow citizens. THE replacement of electrical appliances with new ones of higher energy class", explained, "together with the energy upgrading of buildings and the use of RES, are important tools both for the long-term reduction of electricity costs and for the transition to a green economy ". It is estimated that the replacement of appliances with modern, high energy class, contribute to energy savings in high percentages that can exceed 50%.
Based on the provisions of the Plan Eligible appliances are refrigerators / freezers, washing machines and air conditioners. Beneficiaries can replace up to five appliances and, in particular, up to three air conditioners, a washing machine and a refrigerator.
The Plan, which will be announced within the next two weeks, will remain in force until 20/12/2022 or until the available budget is exhausted and is expected to cover about 5.000 applications. Sponsorships range from € 300 to € 600 depending on the device. The four steps that beneficiaries must follow to participate in the project are:
- Online submission of pre-approval request. The request is submitted by the vulnerable consumers of electricity themselves, as they are defined in the Decree K.D.P. 289/2015.
- Purchase and installation of appliances (invoice in the name of the vulnerable consumer and indication of model of electrical appliance).
- Online submission of a sponsorship application with an invoice attached.
- Evaluation and payment of sponsorship.
Old appliances to be replaced should be delivered to the supplier for recycling purposes and certification provided.
The basic provisions of the Plan are analyzed below:
| AIR CONDITIONERS | |
| Up to 3 per beneficiary and / or residence |
|
| Energy efficiency class: A ++ or higher for cooling and A + or higher for heating (in the "middle" heating season). |
|
| washing machine | |
| Up to 1 per beneficiary and / or residence |
|
| Energy efficiency class: C or higher |
|
| REFRIGERATOR OR REFRIGERATOR-FREEZER | |
| Up to 1 per beneficiary and / or residence |
|
| Energy efficiency class: D or higher |
|
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