Public Power Corporation

Greek enterprises are particularly worried about the state of the electricity market, the uncertainty over the sustainability of Public Power Corporation (PPC) and the government's unrealistic plans for enhancing competition, as statements by the head of the Hellenic Federation of Enterprises (SEV) illustrated on Wednesday.

It is a strange quirk of fate that Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras - should his government reach an agreement with the institutions in the coming days - is set to preside over the greatest ever deregulation of Greece's electricity market.

Energy Minister Giorgos Stathakis arrived on Friday in Kozani, northwestern Greece.

Greece opened expressions of interest on Friday for hiring consultants on utilizing the state shares in seven major companies, including utility Public Power Corporation and Athens International Airport.

The mood in the leftist-led government was tense on Tuesday as officials and MPs are divided over the prospect of privatizing the Public Power Corporation, the latest stumbling block in negotiations with the country's international creditors.

The Public Holdings Company (EDIS), a subsidiary of the Hellenic Holdings and Properties Company SA (the new hyperfund for state asset utilization), will receive the country's small regional airports and regional ports, the inner cabinet decided on Monday. However, no decision was reached on any major issues as the ministers will meet again once Public Power Corporation's fate is decided.

The unions representing workers at Public Power Corporation (PPC) will be meeting on Thursday and Friday to discuss their reaction to government plans for the company's privatization, the head of technical employees, Costas Maniatis, said on Tuesday.

Reports of a near-agreement between Athens and its creditors in Brussels on the majority of issues found at least a few investors in the Greek stock market willing to give them the benefit of the doubt on Monday. The benchmark posted a moderate rise, albeit on low trading volume.

Greece's international creditors are proposing the sale of 40 percent of the lignite and hydroelectric power plants of the Public Power Corporation, starting from July, and ending in the first half of 2018, according to a draft of the plan seen by Kathimerini.

The government has been forced by the country's creditors to return to a three-year-old plan for the sale of part of the production capacity of Public Power Corporation, although this time, the so-called "Small PPC" to be privatized is expected to constitute more than the 30 percent originally foreseen, and in many respects the terms will be tougher too.