Extension of various deadlines for RES projects
(Article by Dr Maria Ioannou, Senior Associate published in the Energy & Natural Resources Newsletter of the ILO on March 7, 2022)
This article outlines recent extensions to various deadlines for renewable energy source (RES) projects.
Extension of performance guarantees for participation in RES auctions
On 8 December 2021, the Regulatory Authority for Energy (RAE) released an announcement regarding the extension of the duration of performance letters of guarantee submitted for participation in certain RES auctions.
This extension follows the adoption of legal provisions that extended the deadlines for the commencement of connection and trial operations of RES plants that participated in certain auctions. It also complies with the already-included automatic extension clause that these letters of guarantee have pursuant to the Template Letter of Guarantee included in the relevant RAE announcements of individual auction procedures.
More specifically, the duration of performance letters of guarantee is extended as follows:
- For RES projects that participated successfully in the auctions that took place pursuant to RAE Decisions No. 649/2018, 1230/2018, 436/2019, 705/2019, 1246/2019 and 675/2020, and for photovoltaic (PV) solar plants of an installed capacity not exceeding 5 megawatts that participated successfully in the auctions that took place pursuant to RAE Decision No. 1142/2020, the duration is extended by four months. This is in line with the four-month extension of the deadline for such projects to enter into trial operation introduced with article 122 of Law 4685/2020 (for normal or trial operations from 1 January 2021 to 31 December 2021).
- For RES projects that participated successfully in the auctions that took place pursuant to RAE Decisions No. 649/2018, 1230/2018, 436/2019, 705/2019, 1246/2019, 675/2020 and 1142/2020, the duration is extended by 10 months, in line with the 10-month extension of the deadline for such projects to enter into trial operation introduced with article 93 of Law 4796/2021.
- For RES projects that participated successfully in the auctions that took place pursuant to RAE Decisions No. 649/2018, 1230/2018, 436/2019, 705/2019, 1246/2019, 675/2020 and 1142/202, and where, during such participation, the RES project was legally required to participate, the duration is extended by 12 months, in line with the 12-month extension of the deadline for the connection of such projects to commence introduced with article 121(5) of Law 4685/2020.
Suspension of licensing procedure for hybrid projects
Pursuant to Law 4876/2021,(1) licensing procedures (eg, production licensing, environmental licensing and connection to grid) concerning hybrid projects that combine RES technology with storage are suspended until 31 March 2022.
Extension of deadline for adjustment of RES polygons
Pursuant to the same law, the deadline for holders of RES production licences to adjust the polygons of their plants in compliance with the restrictions set out in article 13 of Law 4685/2020 (under penalty of rescission) is extended until 31 March 2022.
Other noteworthy extensions
Lastly, Law 4876/2021 also contains provisions concerning the extension of deadlines for:
- PV solar plants of energy communities; and
- RES projects located in western Macedonia.
For further information on this topic please contact Maria Ioannou at Rokas Law Firm by telephone (+30 210 361 6816) or email (m.ioannou@rokas.com). The Rokas Law Firm website can be accessed at www.rokas.com.
Endnotes
(1) OJ 23 December 2021.
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