With winter approaching and energy prices fluctuating, applications for Greece's heating subsidy are pouring in at an unprecedented rate.
Over 442,000 requests have already been submitted through the myΘέρμανση platform, which remains open for another 18 days.
A significant portion of the applications, roughly a quarter, are from households relying on electricity for heating, highlighting concerns about volatile energy prices.
Wholesale electricity prices have seen significant swings recently, ranging from €127 to €452 per megawatt-hour within a matter of days.
As of Monday evening, 118,952 out of 442,387 applications were for electricity consumption subsidies, while the majority, 323,435, were for heating oil and other fuels.
While the subsidy process is largely similar to previous years, the varying subsidy rates based on heating methods are creating challenges, particularly for apartment building managers.
Buildings using fuels other than heating oil or electricity require managers to create specific apartment profiles. However, the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE) clarified that individual applications in these cases should be treated as if they were for standalone houses.
Managers must also navigate a complex system of inputting heating participation metrics for each apartment, ensuring a total of 1,000 points across the building.
Changes to these details can only be made before initiating the payment process. Further complications arise with requirements to link heating oil purchases to the building's tax identification number (TIN) and the need to create new apartment profiles when building managers change.
The process becomes even more convoluted when no building manager is available or a common electricity meter doesn't exist.
With applications surging and winter fast approaching, officials are emphasizing the importance of organization and timely submissions to ensure the efficient allocation of heating subsidies.
By Giorgos Pappous