Greece submits plan to EU to fully phase out Russian gas by end of 2027

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Greece has submitted to the European Commission a national plan aimed at fully phasing out Russian natural gas by the end of 2027, the Greek news portal powergame.gr reported. According to the publication, Greece’s Environment and Energy Ministry sent Brussels a diversification plan that includes a complete refusal of Russian gas supplies by the end of 2027. The commitment stems from the EU’s RepowerEU strategy, through which the bloc seeks to fully end energy ties with Moscow. The deadline for submitting national plans was March 1, 2026. Each EU member state was required to demonstrate whether it has sufficient capacity to replace Russian gas volumes from alternative sources or whether it would continue purchasing Russian gas until supplies are fully halted. According to informed sources cited by the portal, the objective was not to present a list of potential suppliers, but to demonstrate the existence of an adequate strategy and infrastructure capable of ensuring sufficient domestic supply without Russian gas. The same sources noted that the adequacy of the Greek plan is evidenced by the fact that the European Commission has so far not requested any clarifications or additional information from Athens. In their view, this indicates that Greece’s roadmap is considered satisfactory in its main parameters. Brussels retains the option to seek clarifications if a national plan reveals gaps or ambiguities. However, in Greece’s case, the European Commission has not exercised this option, which the sources attribute to the adequacy of Greek projections. The issue is particularly important given Greece’s continued significant dependence on Russian gas supplies, making the task of eliminating imports from Russia especially challenging, the portal emphasized. The latest available data show that Russian fuel still accounts for a substantial share of Greece’s domestic energy balance. According to Greece’s gas transmission system operator DESFA, imports of Russian natural gas through the Sidirokastro pipeline hub reached 8.77 TWh in the first quarter of 2026, accounting for about 33% of total imports. As for domestic consumption, which totaled 20.43 TWh, Russian gas represented approximately 43%. According to powergame.gr, these figures highlight the scale of the challenge Greece faces in completely halting imports from Russia, despite reductions in recent years. The reduction in Russian supplies has been achieved through Greece’s rapid transition to liquefied natural gas, which has now become a key component of market supply. LNG covered 56% of imports in the first quarter, reaching 14.9 TWh. The trend is continuing upward, with LNG imports rising 36% year-on-year. Expanding LNG imports is the first major pillar of the Greek plan. It is supported by existing infrastructure, which gives the country substantial capacity to further strengthen the role of liquefied natural gas not only for domestic demand but also for exports to the broader region. A decisive role is played by two main LNG facilities -- the DESFA terminal in Revithoussa near Athens and the floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) off the coast of Alexandroupolis operated by Gastrade. Together, they allow the Greek gas system to receive up to 12.5 bln cubic meters of gas annually, more than enough to cover the country’s current needs. Total demand in 2025, including exports, amounted to around 78.75 TWh, or roughly 8 bln cubic meters, indicating significant spare capacity. However, if exports increase substantially, particularly in the event of full utilization of the Vertical Gas Corridor, an additional floating storage and regasification unit may be required to support Greece’s role as a transit hub. Even after Russian pipeline gas supplies are fully halted, Greece is expected to continue importing pipeline gas, particularly from Azerbaijan through the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP). An existing agreement with Greek gas company DEPA Trading provides for supplies of 1 bln cubic meters annually. Work is also underway to expand TAP capacity, allowing for higher volumes. The Greek plan is not limited to replacing Russian gas volumes through diversification of supply sources. It also places significant emphasis on reducing overall natural gas consumption. This is linked to the structure of domestic demand, as most gas in Greece is used for electricity generation. In 2025, more than 70% of consumed gas went to power plants. However, the expansion of renewable energy sources is expected to reduce the operation of gas-fired power plants and gradually lower fuel demand. According to the publication, this will be a direct consequence of climate policy goals regardless of geopolitical developments. Under the updated National Energy and Climate Plan, electricity generation from natural gas is projected to decline by 15% by 2030 compared with 2026 levels.