Greek Environment Minister Stavros Papastavrou and Deputy Minister Nikos Tsafos signed a decree on Thursday introducing debt flagging to curb unpaid power bills.
The regulation amends the Electricity Supply Code to prevent strategic bad debtors from changing utility providers before clearing their outstanding balances.
Under the new framework, electricity suppliers can report delinquent accounts to DEDDIE, the Hellenic Electricity Distribution Network Operator that manages the national grid registry.
Consumers who receive three debt flags will be blocked from switching power companies until they pay their balance in full or agree to a formal debt settlement plan.
Tackling energy tourism
Unpaid utility bills owed to Greek electricity providers reached approximately 3 billion euros at the end of 2025.
Ministry officials attributed a large share of the arrears to energy tourism, where serial non-payers repeatedly move between power suppliers to evade old debts by taking advantage of regulatory loopholes.
The Ministry of Environment and Energy said the measure protects reliable households and businesses from absorbing the financial burden created by deliberate defaulters.
Implementation and market impact
The ministry drafted the rules alongside distribution operator DEDDIE, energy suppliers, and regulator RAAEY, which approved the text following a public consultation.
Officials emphasized that the policy stops abusive payment practices while preserving the right of consumers to switch providers.
The new framework will take effect immediately after the ministerial decision is published in the official Greek Government Gazette.
It is expected to reduce overdue debts and non-performing liabilities, gradually leading to a fairer distribution of costs across the electricity market.
