The sponsor of a bill aiming to end the practice of cutting off solar panels urged government agencies on Monday to come back with their written remarks by the end of the week, in a bid to fast-track the legislation so that it can go to the House plenum for a vote before the Easter holiday break.

Under the legislative proposal tabled by Disy MP Kyriacos Hadjiyiannis, cutting off photovoltaic systems – those used for own electricity consumption, not commercial solar parks – would be prohibited.

During an oftentimes tense debate at the House energy committee, Hadjiyiannis insisted that the key players on the government side – the energy ministry, the energy regulator and the Transmission System Operator – submit their final written remarks on the subject by this coming Friday.

He wants the discussion in committee wrapped up as soon as possible, so that the bill heads out to the plenum on April 2 – the last regular session before the Easter holiday.

Both the energy ministry and the regulator have supported the idea in principle.

But the Transmission System Operator said the text of the bill must be amended to make it explicit that the TSO retains the authority to shut off solar panels whenever deemed necessary for the safe and smooth operation of the grid.

Hadjyiannis’ bill aims to ensure consumers’ right to “seamless own consumption of energy generated from renewable sources” without posing risks to the transmission and distribution systems.

The disconnections to PV systems have led to rising bills, forcing many to question the long-term viability of their solar investments.

The root cause lies in Cyprus’ isolated electrical grid. Unlike other European nations that can export surplus solar power, Cyprus must balance energy supply and demand in real-time, leading to disruptions when solar energy generation exceeds consumption.

The technical solution proposed for preventing PV systems from getting shut down is a ‘zero export’ device. The device prevents excess solar energy from being exported back to the grid, helping users avoid unnecessary costs and complications associated with net metering and grid-connected solar systems.

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