ATHENS – Government sources on Tuesday noted that the new household tariffs for August announced by power companies on Monday significantly change both the flat and per kilowatt-hour rates for electricity, with prices for consumers – after subtracting subsidies – returning to the level of 15-17 cents per kilowatt-hour.

They told the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA) that a new intervention in tariffs is underway, in order to deal with instances of an excessive increase in fixed charges which, as they said, make it difficult for consumers to compare tariffs (euro per kilowatt hour).

“It is inconceivable that the state has provided 1.1 billion euros to support consumers and some people are attempting to profiteer from this,” a government official told ANA. According to sources, legislation will be introduced that will force the return of fixed charges to the same level as before the change in the energy market operating mechanism.