In the approval of the amendment of the statute and the participation of the Municipality in the increase of the share capital of the Renewable Energy Community under the name “TRIPOLITCA 1821 COMMUNITY OF RENEWABLE ENERGY LIMITED LIABILITY” and distinctive title: “TRIPOLITCA 1821 K.A.E.” and the direct lease of municipal real estate to “TRIPOLITCA 1821 RENEWABLE ENERGY COMMUNITY LIMITED LIABILITY”” for the installation of a photovoltaic park, virtual energy netting”, the municipal council of Tripoli proceeded, in its urgent meeting.
Former Mayor Yiannis Smyrniotis said that if an extension is granted, if there is an update, an economic and technical plan.
Deputy Mayor Kostas Katsafanas noted that all the evidence is present in the case.
Vangelis Gourgaris asked a series of questions on this topic. He asked who is the board of directors, who are the shareholders of the company. He noted that it is not clear if the PV is on high productivity land. He emphasized that there is no cost estimate and added that SDAM subsidizes as much as 2,800,000 and we do not know at what percentage it finances. To note that it is not known what amount the municipality of Tripoli will need to cover.
Mayor Kostas Tzioumis responded: “Today’s council has two specific issues, regarding the statute and the rental of properties in the Energy Community. The budget of the proposal is 3,000,000 euros. It has been voted on by the municipal committee. The municipality is covered by this amount. 6 PV is 3.8 megawatts. The shareholders are the Municipality of Tripoli, the two School Committees, DEVAT and DEPE. 40% of the share capital is owned by the Municipality and 15% by other legal entities”.
Costas Katsafanas added: “The only thing that has changed is the abolition of NPDD and DEPE has taken its place. The two huge envelopes have all the items inside. The 3,000,000 euros includes VAT. I think we should file it and not go at the last minute. The benefit is significant.”
Mr. Gourgaris said: “We are kidding ourselves when we say we will rent fields and increase equity. Essentially, we are the municipality. We are entering a process that will work in the creation of an energy community and we will have to cover a large amount and that is where the private person can enter or we will go to loans in banks. Today, the facts have been reversed. There is an oversupply of electricity, the government is planning 40% cuts. With what we are going to do, we are advancing the liberation of electricity and cultivating illusions that we will also get something. We win nothing. The evidence is very incomplete.”
Kostas Katsafanas said that “this process is virtual netting. We produce electricity and sell it to PPC. We do not trade electricity. We import 4 gigawatts of current. We are not going to make batteries. I would agree to become electricity producers, but at the moment it is not possible.”
The Mayor said that “I did not understand what Mr. Gourgaris wanted to say. There is a file being prepared that has 70 papers. Let’s reduce the electricity we pay every year. The municipality pays 1,500,000 to PPC every year. We want to save 450,000 euros every year. Does it hurt anyone to save so much money? At the same time, the electricity for vulnerable households in our city will be reduced. We submit a proposal and if we proceed, we will have this profit. There are no loans and private individuals. There is a report from the financial service on the approximately 500,000 euros that the municipality will need to put into the company. Within a year it will be out of debt and then it will be profitable.”
Yiannis Troupis spoke about opportunity in general, we must vote for these types of projects. “I think we are creating a back up for the future, because nobody knows what will happen with energy. To take advantage of DAM’s invitations to leave something behind. And for historical reasons, the decisions must be unanimous.”
“An opportunity is presented with SDAM and we should not let it go” said Mr. Smyrniotis.
Afterwards, Mr. Gourgaris said: “I still don’t know who represents the shareholders. The Energy Communities that step on the release of electricity. You all cultivate the illusion that we can mitigate the situation.”
In the end, the decision was by majority. Only Mr. Gourgaris voted against.
