EYDAP: Increases coming to household and business water tariffs

EYDAP has submitted a proposal to the Regulatory Authority for Waste, Energy and Water (RAAEY) calling for: a) a doubling of the monthly fixed water supply charge from €1 to €2, and b) the introduction of a €1 fixed sewerage charge.

As a result, the total fixed monthly charge would rise from €1 to €3. At the same time, charges for low levels of consumption would remain unchanged, while increases are planned for industrial users. Relief measures are also предусмотрed for vulnerable groups.

EYDAP’s proposal has been put out for public consultation as part of the first Regulatory Period under the new institutional framework governing water tariffs. It should be noted that the Regulatory Authority for Waste, Energy and Water has the final say both on the determination of the financial cost and on the approval of the new tariffs.

Household tariffs

Specifically, under the proposal for household tariffs, the monthly fixed water supply charge would double from €1 today to €2. On an annual basis, this translates into an additional burden of €12. In addition, for the first time, a monthly fixed sewerage charge of €1 would be introduced, which did not exist until now. This charge would be uniform across all categories of household consumers.

As a result, fixed charges would lead to an additional annual burden of €24 per year. This would be added to the €12 currently paid annually as a fixed charge.

However, according to EYDAP and informed sources, the company has opted to structure a framework that secures funding for its “mega” investment programme—worth more than €2 billion—without imposing major burdens on consumers. For this reason, it is not proposing increases in the prices of existing water consumption brackets, while it is also putting forward relief measures for vulnerable groups.

In particular, for beneficiaries of the social tariff under the Emergency Special Tariff, as well as for large families and elderly people over the age of 75 with an annual income of up to €8,000, EYDAP proposes full exemption from paying the fixed water supply and sewerage charges, which currently amount to a total of €1.

Industrial tariffs

By contrast, EYDAP is proposing “substantial” increases for industrial and business tariffs—moves that are expected to place a significant burden on several sectors and could lead to higher costs being passed on to products (such as soft drinks, among others).

For consumption of up to 1,000 cubic metres, an increase of 32.5% per cubic metre is proposed, with the price rising from €0.83 to €1.10. For higher levels of consumption, the price per cubic metre would increase from €0.98 to €1.30.

For public services, municipalities and similar entities, EYDAP proposes comparable increases of up to 32.6%, with the price rising from €0.98 to €1.30 per cubic metre.

At the same time, a 33.1% increase is also envisaged for tariffs related to the reinforcement of municipal and community networks, water supply for islands, and private-law legal entities, with the price rising from €0.488 to €0.65 per cubic metre.

Nevertheless, EYDAP stresses that its primary objective, following the proposed adjustments, is to maintain stable tariffs throughout the entire first Regulatory Period, i.e. until 2029.

Financial cost

Regarding its submission on Financial Cost and Pricing Policy Elements for the first regulatory period (2025–2029), EYDAP proposes a Financial Cost of €384.3 million for 2025, €398.8 million for 2026, €407.8 million for 2027, €414.6 million for 2028 and €427 million for 2029.

The proposal is based on the company’s request for the recognition of a reasonable rate of return of 6.96%, taking into account various factors related to the cost of debt and equity capital of the listed company, as well as corresponding data from the Greek economy and the specific sector in which it operates.