Electricity detected as stolen will be charged at double the current market price, while those who commit electricity theft will pay retroactively for the stolen energy since the date the theft is deemed to have started.
In addition, they will also cover the administrative costs for the detection of the theft (labor, spare parts, etc.), according to the proposal of the Hellenic Electricity Distribution Network Operator (DEDDIE) to the Regulatory Authority of Waste Energy and Water.
The proposal was made after it was found that the phenomenon of theft has expanded and the price of electricity that was set in 2017 as a “penalty” for electricity theft at present – because of the intervening increase in costs – is actually lower than the current market price.
“The amount owed by the consumer who has committed electricity theft, when it is detected, is significantly less than the cost asked of consumers who conscientiously pay for their electricity, which renders ineffective the deterrent and preventive character that the relevant regulatory framework on electricity theft should have,” HEDNO said.
Therefore, penalties will be double the price (plus 100%) in all cases except for consumers included in the social tariff for whom the surcharge reaches 50%.
Based on the data of the first half of 2024, the stolen energy would be charged from 464 to 520 euros per megawatt hour for residential and other (professional) consumers respectively and from 145 to 280 for social tariff beneficiaries.
