The Minister of Environment Yannis Maniatis appeared on Mega Channel’s chat show this morning and announced that customers on DEI’s social tariff will get free electricity on days when the smog levels exceed safety limits, in order to restrict the use of fire places.
With the price of heating oil increasing dramatically in the past couple years due to the recession, many people have turned to burning fire wood and pellets for heating, which caused a significant rise in the atmospheric pollution in Athens last year.
Mr. Maniatis explained that the current safety limit is 150mg of particles per each cubic meter of air and that DEI will offer two days of free electricity each time the safety limit is exceeded. The Ministry of Environment will report on air quality, so that DEI customers are aware of when the measure is in effect.
