Race against time for Greece to avoid a blackout on Easter

Greek authorities are rushing to secure the electricity system against a possible blackout during Easter.

Greece currently produces much more electricity than it needs on certain days due to a high renewables penetration and insufficient energy storage. It should be noted that in 2024 the country became a net power exporter for the first time after two decades. Usually, extra power is no problem, as it is exported and curtailments ensure nominal system operation with no danger of a blackout.

However, this year there will be days when low demand combined with high renewable electricity production creates a problem. At Easter, demand traditionally craters.

Independent Power Transmission Operator (IPTO or Admie) estimates that on Easter Sunday the country’s interconnections would operate near their maximum safety limits. If even a single line goes offline, it would lead to a domino effect and the possible loss of all the connections with neighboring countries. As a result, the frequency will rise beyond safe limits in the Greek system, triggering the desynchronization of power plants and a blackout.

To avoid such a scenario, authorities have imposed adding telemetry systems in recent months to photovoltaic units of over 400 kW connected to the distribution network. Currently, the Hellenic Electricity Distribution Network Operator (HEDNO or DEDDIE) can curtail 1.9 GW of solar power capacity, but another 6 GW is unswitchable.

Telemetry must be enabled by April in small PV units

A deadline was given until February 13 to the owners within the latter category to add telemetry equipment so that HEDNO can curtail their production when needed. However, very few complied and the rest said they are still waiting for the systems to be delivered.

HEDNO estimates that 5,700 plants with capacities of 400 kW to 1 MW must be added to curtailments, as well as 600 plants with more than 1 MW apiece.

Based on the above, owners of solar power units and the two grid operators must add the ability by April to ensure system stability.

Gradual installation of energy storage facilities is expected to help significantly and bring curtailments down.

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April 6, 2025

by AEA in News

Greek renewables sector slams curtailments bill for not including compensation

Power network operators won’t need to compensate renewable energy producers in Greece for curtailments, according to the latest bill of law. It prompted reactions in the renewable energy market.

The bill, submitted for public consultation, received damning remarks from the Hellenic Wind Energy Association (HWEA or ELETAEN) and various other bodies and corporations for the provisions regarding curtailments.

The country’s two operators wouldn’t be obligated to pay compensation. It should be noted that last year curtailments rose by 277% and reached 3.3% of all renewable production in Greece. They are projected to reach new highs in 2025.

The issue primarily plagues larger plants including wind farms, as they have the technical ability to respond to curtailment orders from the Independent Power Transmission Operator (IPTO or Admie). Conversely, smaller photovoltaic facilities connected to the grid of the Hellenic Distribution Network Operator (HEDNO or DEDDIE) have no such telemetering equipment, so they produce freely at all times.

Indeed, Greek authorities aim to make such systems mandatory in smaller renewables plants to be able to curtail them, to maintain system stability, especially during the days of Easter. If an owner fails to make necessary changes, they would be subject to a high penalty, yet to be determined.

Producers point to European law for compensation

HWEA expressed the belief operators should be exempted from compensation only if a proper framework is established that compensates larger producers for curtailments. In practice, it means any revenue collected from the penalties should be used as compensation for other producers.

HWEA: Producer compensation mechanism is necessary

The association added that compensation is obligatory under European law and therefore needs to be included in the regulatory framework.

“The only right way is for the government to conclude the long-awaited framework and introduce a specific producer compensation mechanism,” HWEA pointed out.

Cero Generation Holdings Greece said it is very concerned about proposals for IPTO and HEDNO not to be obliged to provide any compensation.

Curtailment responsibility shifted to aggregators

Another issue concerns the role of renewable energy aggregators, which represent groups of smaller producers in the market. Both HWEA and Elpedison said it is the operators that need to enforce and manage curtailments, and not aggregators, as in the proposed law.

With such measures, aggregators will face increased costs as well as the possibility of having their license recalled if they cannot carry out their new duties, the company pointed out.

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