Unreasonably high electricity prices
16.10.2024
Question for written answer E-002091/2024
to the Commission
Rule 144
Georgios Aftias (PPE)
Electricity is more expensive in Greece and the countries of South-East Europe compared to other EU countries. Last summer, despite no increase in production costs, night-time electricity rates in Greece soared to EUR 900 over 25 days, which is incomprehensible to Greek citizens who feel confused and frustrated as they see that decisions concerning electricity prices are being made miles away from Greece due to weak grid connections in countries that do not share a border with Greece. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis sent a letter to the Commission some months ago emphasising ‘the need for you to intervene in order to stabilise the unacceptably high energy prices’.
International assessors have stressed that high prices are proof that there are weaknesses in the model the EU is applying and that it cannot go on functioning like this as it is generating huge costs for consumers, costs that will go up further in the winter.
In view of the above:
- 1.Will the Commission take decisive action to put an end to the problem of unacceptably high prices?
- 2.Will it intervene to ensure that existing connections between counties do not cause increases in electricity prices?
- 3.Will it fund electricity interconnections directly so as to solve the problem sooner?
Submitted: 16.10.2024