The electronic platform for submitting applications for inclusion in the new category of Social Household Tariff (COT C) for electricity, which concerns large families, was opened today Thursday, as announced by the Ministry of Environment and Energy.
The special tariff in question, for families with four dependent children or more, was established in December 2023, with a relevant decision of the Minister of Environment and Energy Theodoros Skylakakis and the Deputy Minister of Environment and Energy Alexandra Sdoukos.
During the integration process, the beneficiaries of CTO C submit their applications through the IDIKA (https://www.idika.gr/kot), with the obligation to post the certificate of their marital status, accompanied by a certificate from the Supreme Confederation of Multiple Children of Greece, in order to prove their multi-child status. Broadened income criteria are provided for inclusion, while property criteria are not taken into account.
In the context of CTO C, a reduced price of electricity for domestic use (exclusively for the main residence) is provided, in the form of a discount on the electricity supply charge, amounting to 10 cents/kWh. In fact, special care is taken, so that the discount is granted to the supply charge for the consumption of day, but also night (if any) of the electricity supplier.
For those beneficiaries who submit an application until February 29, 2024, January 1, 2024 is considered as joining CTO C and the discount is granted for electricity consumption from January 1, 2024 onwards. Electricity suppliers must return this discount to the beneficiary by April 30, 2024.
Regarding the inclusion criteria, for a family with four dependent children the maximum annual income limit is 50,000 euros, while for each additional dependent child the amount of 2,500 euros is added, up to the total limit of 70,000 euros, regardless of the number of dependents family members. With these data, it is estimated that the vast majority of families with many children will become beneficiaries of this special tariff.
It is also worth pointing out that within the framework of CTO C, extended four-monthly consumption limits are applied for granting the discount, starting from 2,000 kWh/four months for families with four dependent children. For each additional dependent child, consumption of 200 KWh is added, up to a maximum of 4,000 kWh, regardless of the number of dependent family members.
Finally, the beneficiaries benefit from the energy savings they achieve, compared to the limit of their four-month consumption. This additional discount, due to reaching the savings target, cannot exceed 20% of the basic discount, i.e. 12 cents/kWh.
The Minister of Environment and Energy, Thodoros Skylakakis, said in this regard: “Combined with the drop in electricity prices, the special tariff for large families is a significant relief for the finances of large households.”
For her part, the Deputy Minister of Environment and Energy, Alexandra Sdoukou, emphasized: “We ensure, in a permanent way, affordable electricity prices for a special category of consumers, recognizing in practice the important role it plays for our country.”