The illegal installation of photovoltaic installations in Cyprus will be suppressed.
This was announced on Tuesday, March 26, by Electricity Authority (EAC) spokeswoman Christina Papadopoulou.
She said that both large commercial and industrial enterprises and private individuals who bypass government programs for the installation of rooftop photovoltaic systems and illegally connect to the EAC network are involved.
Papadopoulou said that the EAC directorate recently sent official letters to all relevant services and authorities, alerting them to the problem and the need for spot checks.
The violations are related to the installation of grid systems by companies without EAC approval in order to compensate for electricity consumption and reduce bills. In addition, many people who have received EAC approval to install 5kW systems are screwing on extra panels. All these actions together undermine the security of the EAC and the stability of the energy system," Papadopoulou emphasized.
Measures to counter these practices will include disconnecting illegally installed systems from the general network, revoking approval certificates, and imposing fines. The spokeswoman noted that once net metering comes into play, it will be much easier for the EAC to detect anomalous installations.
There are a lot of roofs and it is difficult to inspect each one. Now we act mainly on a tip-offs," she said.
It should be noted that local officials had earlier warned that Cyprus risked losing €35 million from the EU's Recovery and Sustainability Plan funds, which were allocated for the implementation of smart meters. According to the timetable, the state had to award the contract by the end of March. The authorities need to receive 50,000 smart meters and install 15,000 of them by September 2024, and then receive all 400,000 and install 250,000 of them by June 2026.