National Action Plan to Combat Energy Poverty

ενεργειακη ενδεια

Energy poverty is a priority under the “Clean Energy for All Europeans” package, which was finalized and approved in May 2019. For the first time, the necessity for a common definition of energy poverty was agreed upon, requiring Member States to systematically monitor the evolution of the phenomenon in their country and to define a national target to combat the phenomenon within the framework of the National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs).

In our country

in the context of Article 25 of Law 4342/2015, the preparation of a National Action Plan in order to combat energy poverty is foreseen, which includes both the definition of households affected by energy poverty through specific quantitative criteria, as well as the development of a specialized process for monitoring and evaluating the course of mitigating the phenomenon by 2030. The National Action Plan to combat energy poverty was approved in September 2021 by the Ministry of Environment and Energy under the Ministerial Decision No. ΥΠΕΝ/ΓΔΕ/89335/5599 (Official Gazette B' 4447/28.09.2021).

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The main challenge

in addressing energy poverty is the definition and identification of households that are affected by it.

Many studies have been carried out, with the aim of mapping and analyzing the characteristics of affected households, which have approached the issue of energy poverty from different angles and using different assumptions and data sources.

It is necessary to analyze the main conclusions and possibly integrate them into the methodological approach for the definition of energy poverty and the quantification of the results of the targeted policy measures that will be implemented to effectively address it. Emphasis must be given on assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the evolution of the energy poverty issue and on the new conditions that will be shaped and may affect the final energy consumption in households (e.g. increase in telework, etc.).

Common treatment

In addition, the approach, which will be adopted regarding the differentiation between vulnerable households and households in energy poverty or their common treatment within the Action Plan, by adopting the most suitable term, in order to refer to households that are affected by the energy poverty issue, is a challenge

Protection of personal data

Emphasis must be given on the protection of affected households from issues of insufficient protection of their personal data and from stigmatization phenomena, which are expected to be inhibiting factors for their unhindered participation in the planned policy measures.


Calculate the probability that your household is affected by energy poverty and be informed about the course of the phenomenon from the evolution of the indicators in the framework of the monitoring mechanism.

  • Calculate the probability that your household is affected by energy poverty


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  • Indicators - Charts

    In the context of the monitoring and control mechanism, the performance of both Indicator I&II is evaluated, with the aim of comparing them with Indicator I&IIeq and the conditions that will lead to their convergence.

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The role of Local Government Organizations (LGOs)

and various organizations at the local level is considered critical for the effective identification and participation of affected households in the planned policy measures. Also, synergies with the country’s social policy to combat poverty in general must be maximized taking into account the particularities of the affected households and aiming at eliminating the specific phenomenon.

In addition, because the improvement of the energy efficiency of residences is a key strategy, it is necessary to secure the required resources and design the appropriate financial tools and mechanisms for the energy upgrade of the buildings of the affected households, which do not have the necessary funds towards this direction.

At the same time, the main goals of the NECP must be taken into account regarding the design of efficient policy measures, the promotion of the best interventions in terms of cost-effectiveness analysis and the greater utilization of available market mechanisms.

Finally, due to the fact that the primary objective of the planned policy measures in the context of this Action Plan is the protection of affected households and the radical treatment of the phenomenon of energy poverty, the possible increase in final energy consumption and the resulting emissions must be offset in order to meet the levels of thermal comfort that were not sufficiently covered until now, so as not to jeopardize the achievement of the ambitious goals of the NECP.

Priorities and Targets

It is imperative to address the phenomenon of energy poverty, which is intensified by the ongoing economic recession and the resulting effects on citizens.

Targeted measures [1] with the aim of eliminating the phenomenon of energy poverty, will lead to the coverage of the predicted comfort conditions and to the avoidance of the resulting health problems. In addition, the environmental benefits for all citizens are expected to be significant, such as the reduction of air pollution especially in urban centers.

[1] The achievement of the specific objectives will be carried out by the design and implementation of targeted policy measures, which in the first phase were mentioned in the final version of the NECP. However, the specification of policy measures to achieve the ambitious goal of tackling energy poverty issue will take place in the context of the relevant Action Plan, which is expected to be drawn up.


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Indicators Charts

In the framework of the mechanism for monitoring and controlling the phenomenon of energy poverty, the performance of both Index I&II and the indicators selected in the framework of the European Observatory on Energy Poverty are evaluated in order to compare them with Index I&IIeq and to identify the conditions that will lead to their convergence.

Indicators and Monitoring - Charts
TARGET Taking into account the above priorities, a quantitative target was set in the context of the NECP for a reduction of at least 50% of the relevant indicators of energy poverty by 2025 and by 75% by 2030 compared to 2016, which is also the reference base year.

In addition, special reference was made to the prevention of energy poverty in the regions of just transition. More specifically, the financing of development actions was foreseen mainly in the regions of Greece whose economy is strongly dependent on the mining of lignite for power generation, and in particular in the Region of Western Macedonia and the Municipality of Megalopolis. Special emphasis was placed on the development of natural gas networks for the secure energy transition of these areas and on the transformation of district heating networks with the aim of uninterrupted supply of heat to households

In addition, social policy measures must be adopted in order to strengthen the cost of supplying energy products, based on specific income and asset criteria. More specifically, in the context of social policy, in order to protect consumers and address the phenomenon of energy poverty, the implementation of principles of encouragement and sustainability was chosen, providing coverage to all vulnerable groups facing the risk of poverty and/or social exclusion through long-term and sustainable solutions.

It was also foreseen the inclusion of measures related to the promotion of building renovation actions through programs, with special categories of subsidies for the economically weaker sections of the population as well as auto-production programs, which are estimated to contribute to the mitigation of energy poverty issue, while at the same time they will limit the need to support citizens through energy product tariffs.
Finally, the promotion of measures for the energy upgrade of the residential buildings of the affected households with the aim of combating the phenomenon of energy poverty will also contribute to the national target that has been set regarding the energy upgrade of 12%-15% of the total number of residences in country, partially or completely, i.e. up to 60,000 houses on an annual basis.