Filenews 18 March 2025 - by Eleftheria Paizanou
Consumers will bear the cost of installing special equipment in their home photovoltaics so that they are not disconnected from the electricity network, if, of course, the law on the Promotion and Encouragement of the Use of Renewable Energy Sources is amended on the basis of a proposal for a law by MP Kyriakos Hatzigiannis.
The bill was discussed Tuesday in parliament's Energy Committee. Mr. Hatzigiannis' draft law provides that the Cyprus Energy Regulatory Authority (CERA) issues and publishes regulatory decisions which ensure that the production of energy by self-consumers from renewable energy sources (photovoltaics) cannot be curtailed in cases where it is necessary to reduce the transmission of such energy to the distribution system or the transmission system in order to ensure the safe and reliable operation of these systems.
As argued by the rapporteur of the proposal, the proposed regulation is necessary to ensure the right of consumers to unhindered self-consumption of energy from renewable sources in their homes, only for the purpose of meeting the needs of their premises, without compromising the safety and reliable operation of transmission and distribution systems.
The proposal for a law, which is well received by the majority of parties and other sectors involved, is being considered to be revised so that it is not mandatory but potential to install the special system to prevent photovoltaic cut-offs, provided that electricity will be consumed within the premises. The suggestion that the obligation to install this equipment should be potential was made by AKEL MP Kostas Kostas. This will be clarified at the next meeting of the Committee on Energy. The bill is expected to go to the plenary of Parliament in April.
CERA's president, Polyvios Lemonaris, agreed with the bill, pointing out that during the meeting they had with the distributors of special equipment, it became clear that there would be some technical problems. He said that the proposal of the Transmission System Operator (to retain its ability to cut off photovoltaics in cases of danger to the system) should be taken into account, stressing that despite the proposed law, cuts may still need to be made. Concluding, he said that the reduction of photovoltaic cut-offs will be achieved with storage systems and not only.
In front of the Committee, EAC President George Petrou stated that the Authority is in favour of the proposal, if it can be technically implemented. He also said that the cost for converting systems to residential photovoltaics ranges from €800 to €1000.
The above cost estimate was rejected by the RES association, whose representative said that the legislation will concern systems in 2023. As he said, adding a zero electricity injection system to the grid has a maximum cost of €150.
Consumer associations said households should not bear additional costs.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Energy, Marios Panayides, said that the ministry's position is positive, provided that the proposal can be practically implemented.
A spokesman for the Ministry of Finance said it was in favour of policies that promote the use of renewables.
For its part, the Transmission System Operator said that it does not oppose the promotion of such plans but stressed that the Transmission System Operator should have the final control over the cut-off – disconnection of RES, in case of need for the network. "If we are stripped of this tool (of cuts) we will not be able to deal with extraordinary situations. With the way the proposal is written, he said, we are stripped of the control of cutting off renewables to deal with emergency situations," he added. During the debate it was mentioned that this part of the proposal would be differentiated.
On behalf of the Distribution Operator (EAC), it was said that all households should install special equipment, pointing out, however, that the operator should be able to cut off RES if it deems it unavoidable.
The associations of RES and Wind Energy companies were in favour of the bill. OEB and CCCI also supported the draft law.
