CYPRUS WILL have enough power supply to get through the winter if there are no malfunctions to the production units, said energy heads yesterday following a meeting with President Demetris Christofias.
The heads of the Cyprus Energy Regulation Authority (CERA), the Electricity Authority of Cyprus (EAC) and the Transmissions System Operator attended the meeting chaired by Christofias to discuss power supply adequacy for the coming year.
They were joined by the ministers of finance, commerce and labour, government spokesman Stefanos Stefanou and the Undersecretary to the President.
Stefanou spoke of the “tremendous effort” by all involved to restore power supply to adequate levels following the Mari naval base blast on July 11 which killed 13 people while incapacitating the Vassiliko power plant and halving the country’s energy supply, resulting in extensive power shortages.
He said the meeting took stock of the efforts made and the work done, particularly from the EAC, to restore energy supplies.
The government spokesman said participants examined ways to ensure adequate supply in the coming year, particularly during the peak summer months. All present were “optimistic” that this could be achieved, he said.
Asked whether electricity supply would cover demand over the winter period, CERA chairman Giorgos Shammas said decisions were taken on that issue yesterday, though production capacity is expected to only just cover demand.
The authorities expect the public to continue making energy savings, as it did throughout the course of last summer, to ensure there are no power cuts in the event of a fault with the production units.
“If we have a heavy winter we expect to marginally cover demand based on existing production capacity both for the winter and the coming summer,” said Shammas.
Asked whether the public could expect shortages during the peak winter period, end of January, beginning of February, he replied: “Cuts are something you can expect daily if there is any malfunction making supply less than demand.”
Regarding price increases, he said the period until the end of February was covered by the decision for a 6.96 per cent increase in price.
“We do not expect an increase beyond the 6.96 per cent though the period of its imposition may have to be extended depending on the progress of restoring Units Four and Five,” said the CERA head.
Production capacity is currently at 920MW, creating a 280MW shortage during peak demand, part of which will be covered by the repair of Unit Five, and part by using additional temporary units.
Power cuts will be a “last resort” but only in the event of a serious malfunction of one of the production units, he said.
“All the necessary procedures have begun to get the power supply we need,” he added.
EAC President Harris Thrassou said the authority was working in close cooperation with the insurance companies, noting that the company responsible for Unit Five has already informed the EAC that it will undertake responsibility for its restoration, which is estimated at €125m.
The EAC expects a similar response from insurers and reinsurers of the remaining units. EAC officials have already gone to visit a General Electric plant in France to make the necessary orders.
Thrassou said the final cost of the damage to Vassilikos is expected to be less than the initial estimate.
