The management of Greece’s state-controlled power utility Public Power Corporation (PPC) and the network transmission system operator are planning rotating blackouts in different areas starting from early on Thursday morning, when the strike action called by the PPC workers’ union federation GENOP is due to begin.
Employees protest against the bill on the so-called “Small PPC” which will be tabled in Parliament later in the day.
The rolling power cuts are intended as a precaution against a possible collapse of the system throughout the country, if the strike leads to a loss of power from the power stations in the north. The length of the blackouts and their implementation will depend on the amount of power missing from the system and on the level of demand.
Sources within GENOP said that strikers will seek to take all the power production units in the north offline, something that will seriously disrupt the power supply in the country, if they are successful. The trade unionists are seeking the cooperation of local bodies, and local government also opposed to the PPC’s privatization and the “Small PPC” bill to assist them in their efforts.
Speaking on SKAI radio on Tuesday, government spokeswoman Sofia Voultepsi left open the possibility of PPC employees’ conscription in case they “pull the plug” and plunge Greece into darkness during the summer tourist season.
“Syndicalism cannot interfere with government strategic decisions… They do not own PPC and electricity, they do not have the right to pull switches down. This (the blackout) is sabotage against the state… Twenty million tourists are about to come. How is it possible for them not to have air conditioning? Unionists will not govern, the country will not become a hostage. The government will take all measures to prevent this from happening,” she said.
She also reiterated that there would be improvements to the bill tabled in Parliament, adding that the funds to be raised by the privatization of a part of PPC will be used for its modernization and development in Southeastern Europe.
Main opposition Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA) leader Alexis Tsipras said he was launching an initiative for a referendum on the privatization of PPC.
Tsipras said that he intends to contact the heads of other opposition parties in Parliament in the next few hours, including the Communist Party, Independent Greeks, Democratic Left and independent MPs, in order to collect 120 signatures backing the demand for a referendum, in accordance with article 44 of the Constitution.
“Only the Greek people have the power to make such a decision,” he said, attacking the ruling coalition and its leaders, Prime Minister Antonis Samaras and PASOK leader Evangelos Venizelos.
“Mr. Samaras and Mr. Venizelos cannot play games with the country’s future, nor will SYRIZA be the party that will take on a national disaster. They will not take the decision to break up and sell the PPC in secrecy. If they have the guts, they must do it in the light of day,” he said.
He also accused the government of acting “vengefully” and adopting a “scorched earth” policy against the time when it would hand over the reins to SYRIZA.
Tsipras made the announcement while speaking at an event organized by his party at the Amyntaio Arts Center, one of the areas with large PPC power stations, attended by representatives of the organization and local government.
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