Patience is over and sabotage of crucial energy projects for the average person had reached an intolerable stage, Kyriakos Tafounas head of the electricity authority unions (Epopai-Sek) said on Monday.

The union leader unleashed a scathing critique of the state’s misguided electricity policy vis-à-vis consumers on CyBC’s morning radio, revealing that the unions were convening to determine their next steps, with strike action a possibility.

The union leader emphasised that delays in essential public infrastructure projects had become unbearable, and it had become clear that Cyprus’ energy market structure was ill-suited to the island’s small scale.

Tafounas pointed to recent announcements by the EAC board and the energy minister, including the provision of two upgraded generators for Dhekelia, claiming that these did not satisfy anyone. He stressed that consumers were rightfully demanding an affordable and secure energy supply from the state.

Tafounas also commented on the long-delayed rollout of smart meters, dismissing them as the “tip of the iceberg” in addressing the island’s energy security issues. The union had warned for years about the challenges now being faced, including the grid capacity for rooftop PV installations, which had reached its limit two years ago.

“Now we have to cut off PVs during the day due to overload, and at night we are telling people to economise because supply is marginal,” Tafounas added.

Regarding the Dhekelia upgrades, Tafounas noted that the decisions were made two years ago but had yet to materialise. He questioned the credibility of the implementation, citing uncertainties in the financing formula. The unions, he said, supported minimal consumer payments over an extended period to prevent further burdening the public.

The union leader also criticised the state’s failure to unblock the EAC’s access to the renewable energy market, as well as its practice of inflating the price of RES units by pegging them to conventional energy prices. The lack of promotion for small-scale storage solutions for RES producers, including owners of rooftop PVs, was also condemned. Tafounas pointed out that while the public was facing skyrocketing electricity prices, RES producers continued to profit unchecked, with “accountability having been salami-sliced” to the point of absurdity.

The energy regulator, Cera, was also under fire for failing to manage the island’s existing energy supply. Tafounas argued that the regulator, which was meant to ensure energy sufficiency, had failed to act until Dhekelia faced closure, highlighting the bloated system of middlemen that had not brought competition but instead increased electricity costs.

As Cyprus faces a daily electricity demand of 300MW, with peaks reaching up to 1000MW, Tafounas criticised the speculative pricing model, which contrasts conventional energy with RES, a system now recognised in Europe as flawed. Cyprus remains stuck in a “transitional” stage, he added.

Among the union’s demands was a call for grid storage at substations near urban areas to improve supply efficiency for residential PV owners. Tafounas revealed that the EAC had requested storage installations at three substations – Nicosia, Limassol, and Larnaca – but was still awaiting a response from Cera, the body responsible for the matter. He stated that while these installations wouldn’t solve the entire problem, they would be an important starting point.

The meeting on Monday also authorised the unions to communicate their positions to the EAC administration, stressing that if there is no adequate response, they do not rule out taking “dynamic measures”. Tafounas underscored that while taking action was not an end in itself for the unions, they would assess the situation and, if necessary, decide on further measures.

Further discussions took place within the unions, where the leadership of the general councils of the EAC, Epopai, Sidikek, Sepaik, and Syvaik expressed concerns over expensive electricity, insufficient supply and the risk of power cuts.

The unions authorised their leaderships to press the EAC board for quick action on the decisions to replace the Dhekelia units, install central storage to support domestic photovoltaics, and remove obstacles to renewable energy projects, which would help to reduce energy costs for consumers.

Epopai president Tafounas reiterated that the unions had highlighted these issues over the years and that the solutions had already been identified but remained stagnant. He emphasised the need for swift implementation of the EAC’s projects to ensure an adequate and dispersed production capacity, urging the removal of any barriers preventing the EAC from activating renewable energy solutions.

The unions have made it clear that any further delays could lead to more drastic actions. Sepaik president Marios Pappoutis, addressing the current situation, stated that it was no longer acceptable for photovoltaics to be cut off at noon and for power supply to be restricted during periods of extreme temperatures. The unions aim to protect both consumers and the country’s energy system, which now needs greater flexibility.

The unions have vowed to continue pressing for the implementation of these projects and are expected to issue a more detailed statement in the coming days. The leadership of the unions has been authorised to take further actions depending on how the situation develops, including potentially escalating their response.

Tafounas remarked that the union’s issues included expensive electricity, the insufficiency of supply, and the risk of power cuts, particularly affecting household photovoltaic systems, which are seen as the only means for consumers to reduce electricity costs.

He stressed, “We have repeatedly said about all these issues over the years and have shown that there are solutions and they should be promoted,” noting that some decisions remain stagnant.

Tafounas reiterated the call for the EAC to act quickly to implement the decision to replace the Dhekelia units, which would ensure production adequacy and dispersion. He also urged the approval of applications for central storage to support domestic photovoltaics and storage in production, which could help reduce costs. He further emphasised that any remaining obstacles preventing the EAC’s activation in renewable energy projects should be removed to allow the organisation to produce cheap energy for the benefit of the consumer.

“We will assess the situation, we expect that everyone will take action because these are the demands of society, these are the demands of consumers, these are projects that must be implemented for the benefit of the people and in the direction of reducing the price of electricity,” Tafounas said.

The unions have also made it clear that if the situation does not progress as required, they will reassess and take further measures, which could include dynamic actions.