Energy Minister Natasa Pilides has slammed the island’s electricity transmission operators over their call for the immediate suspension of subsidization programmes for the installation of photovoltaic panels.

They are citing imminent danger to the security and stability of the grid but the Minister highly disputed this.

“It is unacceptable, unbelievable and frustrating on their behalf to ask for the subsidization plan for residential photovoltaics because they cannot control the system and at the same time RAEK (Cyprus Energy Regulatory Authority) continue to give licenses to large parks which continue to sell electricity at a profit,” she told Radio Active on Friday.

She was referring to a letter dated January 20, 2023 in which the transmission and the distribution operators jointly called for the immediate halt of further installations of photovoltaic (PV) systems in residences citing imminent danger to the security and stability of the grid.

Apparently, the current infrastructure can only handle a certain amount of energy from renewables, and this limit, quantified in 2020, is very close to being reached.

The installation of PVs should be temporarily suspended, as a stopgap measure, until provisions can be added to an upgraded plan which are currently being finalized, they noted.

However, Pilides noted the pending subsidisation funds will undoubtedly help over 30,000 small-sized households – many of which fall into the vulnerable category – to drastically reduce their electricity bills.

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