Electricity Authority (EAC) unions signaled on Monday that further industrial action is on the way, following their 24-hour strike last week.

Last Thursday the EAC headquarters and customer service offices were closed for business. Supply was not disrupted.

Union boss Kyriacos Tafounas told media on Monday that their complaints – which they aired month ago – have to do with two issues: the adequacy of electricity supply, and the cost of electricity.

“There are things that need to be done if we want to ensure [electricity] sufficiency, and there are things that can be done to bring down the cost of electricity,” Tafounas said.

Otherwise, the price of electricity will keep going up.

One of their gripes is the recent law that passed allowing the Cyprus Telecommunications Authority – another semi-governmental organisation – to operate in the energy market.

In addition, Tafounas said, they have indicated that “Cyprus is a small, isolated island that relies on conventional fuel which produce emissions…so the only solution is to allow the EAC to have a significant share in renewables”.

This can be done either through solar parks owned by the EAC, or letting the EAC buy power from private businesses.

According to the union rep, in 2023 the state gave the EAC the green light to operate solar parks; but the problem is that there is no longer any private land available to host such facilities, because the land has been used up by private companies operating their own solar parks.

“The state must grant state land to the EAC for solar parks which will generate cheap energy,” Tafounas said.

The EAC, he argued, has already demonstrated it can produce inexpensive energy from renewables – at 5 to 6 cents per kilowatt-hour.

Regarding the adequacy of electricity supply, Tafounas said the EAC has been effectively hamstrung by the state.

He explained that the Dhekelia power plant needs new turbines. Also, the flagship power station at Vasiliko has turbines that urgently need upgrades – they need to be fitted with anti-pollution technology ensuring the machines can continue operating beyond 2029 when, due to stricter EU regulations on emissions, they would have to be taken offline.

Tafounas also complained that the EAC has been fettered when it comes to desalination.

In 2018 the organisation had proposed building a large desalination plant in Moni, with a capacity of 60,000 tonnes. They also wanted to expand the current desalination unit located at Vasiliko.

“In the end, we found out that they will construct a desalination unit at Mazotos with a private company, to which they will grant state land and €85 million to build the facility on virgin land.”