Electricity bills by the hour: from February 2026, Greece will launch “orange” tariffs for customers with smart meters

WITH February 2026 In Greece, a new type of electricity tariffs is being introduced – the so-called dynamic or “orange” tariffswhich consumers equipped with smart meters.

The goal of the reform is to link the cost of kWh with the real situation on the market and enable households and businesses to shift consumption to cheaper hours.

When and for whom are “orange” tariffs launched?

According to the ministerial decision Ministry of Environment and Energy of Greecepublished on the platform “Diavgia”the system will be launched in stages:

• With February 1, 2026 – For large consumers with connection power over 25 kVA;
• With April 1, 2026 – For small consumers with power up to 25 kVAthat is, for households and small businesses.

Thus, first the new schemes will be tested by those who consume the most and are already technically ready for hourly metering, and then the system will be extended to ordinary household customers.

How the price is formed: basic and dynamic components

For small consumers The price structure is spelled out quite strictly. Rate will consist of two parts – Base Price And Dynamic Priceswhich together form Terminal Delivery Price for every kWh.

• Base Price set in euros kWh and applies to the entire volume of consumption. She united and stable for all hours of the day throughout the entire duration of the contract. The supplier determines it independently, but cannot change it until the end of the contract and has no right “hide” allowances for the period of use in it.
• Dynamic Price calculated as the product coefficient B on hourly reference pricedata-driven day-ahead market (wholesale electricity market).
• Factor B is also freely determined by each supplier, fixed in the contract and cannot change before it ends. In addition, suppliers are prohibited from providing discounts exactly by coefficient Bso as not to distort the wholesale market signals.

As a result Terminal Delivery Price becomes hourlybut at the same time the client understands its structure: a fixed “base” plus a changing dynamic part, tied to wholesale prices.

Customer information and the 180 €/MWh threshold

The key element of the system is transparency for the consumer. The client must be notified in advance by his supplier of what prices will apply on a specific day and at specific times. To do this:

• daily information about hourly prices will be posted on websites of supplier companies and in their mobile applications;
• the consumer will be able to plan the inclusion of energy-intensive appliances (washing machines, boilers, charging electric vehicles) on less expensive watches.

An additional mechanism for protecting against extreme price increases is also provided. If during some hours the wholesale price rises higher 180 euro/MWhthe client will be sent warning by SMS or email indicating an increased price level. The idea is that the consumer can quickly reduce consumption during “expensive” hours and not then receive shocking bills.

So new “orange” dynamic tariffs transform the electricity market into a more “live” system, where the price changes hourly, and smart meter and timely information allow the consumer to at least partially control their electricity costs.

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