In July 2025, carbon emissions from power plants reached 1.79 million tons, the highest in two years. Record emissions from fossil gas plants were recorded in the first 7 months of 2025 (5.05 million tons). During the same period, a total of 9.24 million tons were emitted from the power sector, already accounting for 90.5% of the annual carbon budget according to the NECP, making it practically impossible to reach the target.
Monthly emissions from each power plant in Greece are estimated based on the latest available electricity production data (July 2025 for the interconnected network and for the non-interconnected islands) and the annual CO2 emissions from ETS (2024), following the methodology and assumptions presented here.
In July 2025, the carbon intensity[1] of electricity generation increased by 28% compared to June, reaching 263.9 g CO2/kWh and a five-month high, due to the increased use of all three fossil fuels (lignite, fossil gas, oil). Compared to last year, carbon intensity was at similar levels as July 2024 (262.5 g CO2/kWh).
Despite the July increase, the average carbon intensity for the first seven months of 2025 was 262.7 g CO2/kWh, slightly below 2024 levels (271 g CO2/kWh).
The impact of RES curtailments on carbon intensity is notable. Based on IPTO’s ISP2 and ISP3 forecasts, for the period January to July 2025, RES curtailments totaled 1,385 GWh. If this energy was harnessed to reduce the use of fossil fuels, carbon intensity would reach 241.6 g CO2/kWh, 8% lower than the actual intensity.
In July 2025, carbon emissions from fossil fuel-fired power plants were 1.79 million tons, marking a significant increase of 59% compared to June and the highest emissions in 24 months (since July 2023). The increase in emissions is the result of increased production from lignite, fossil gas, and oil.
Cumulative carbon emissions for the first seven months of 2025 reached 9.24 million tons, surpassing the last two years’ emissions for the same period, due to the increased share of fossil gas in the power generation mix. Without the estimated RES curtailments for this period (1,385 GWh), emissions would have been 8.5 million tons or 0.74 million tons less than actual emissions.
In terms of breakdown of emissions by fuel, emissions from gas-fired power plants amounted to 5.05 million tons, accounting for 54.6% of total emissions and reaching their highest level since 2013. In July alone, emissions from gas-fired plants were 0.92 million tons, up 21% compared to June, reflecting the high use of gas this month.
Emissions from lignite-fired power plants for the same period reached 2.35 million tons, a new all-time low (since 2013). However, in July 2025, lignite-fired plants had lower emissions than in July last year (0.44 million tons in July 2025, 0.47 million tons in July 2024).
Emissions from oil-fired plants on non-interconnected islands were 0.4 million tons for July and 1.6 million tons for the first seven months of 2025, remaining at similar levels to the same period in 2024.
In the first seven months of 2025, the lignite-fired power plant of Agios Dimitrios remained at the top of the list of polluters with 1.7 million tons and a 2.9% increase compared to the first seven months of 2024. Agios Dimitrios is responsible for 19% of the sector’s total emissions for this period.
Megalopolis V remained in second place with 0.672 million tons for the seven months and an increase of 23% compared to the same period in 2024. In third place and practically at the same level as Megalopolis V was Ag. Nikolaos II with emissions of 0.671 million tons. The list of top five polluters was completed with Lavrio IV-V and Ptolemaida 5 with emissions of 0.63 million tons and 0.615 million tons respectively for the seven-month period.
On the non-interconnected islands, the five largest polluters were the three power stations in Crete and the two power stations on the island of Rhodes. Specifically in Crete, Atherinolakos recorded emissions of 0.38 million tons and was responsible for 24% of total emissions from oil-fired power units. Linoperamata emitted 0.24 million tons, and the Chania plant emitted 0.125 million tons during the seven-month period. On the island of Rhodes, the Rhodes plant recorded emissions of 0.167 million tons, while the N.Rhodes plant noted emissions of 0.147 million tons for the seven-month period.
According to the revised National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) submitted in January 2025 to the European Commission, emissions in the electricity sector are expected to decrease significantly in the coming years. In particular, the target for 2030 is a maximum of 4 million tons of emissions from all three fuels (lignite, fossil gas, oil). This marks a substantial decrease (-91%) compared to 2013, the year in which thermal power plants first began paying for their carbon emissions under the Emissions Trading System (ETS).
In the final NECP, the estimated emissions for 2025 are 10.2 million tons, 5.573 million tons, less than in 2024 (15.77 million tons). In the first seven months of 2025, a total of 9.236 million tons is estimated to have been emitted from the sector, representing 90.5% of the available carbon budget for the year. The remaining carbon budget for the last five months is just 0.964 million tons or 9.5% of the 2025 NECP target, making it practically impossible to meet the national goal, mainly due to the increased use of fossil gas.
You can explore how electricity sector emissions evolved since 2013, as well as find analyses from previous months here.
[1] Carbon intensity is defined as the ratio of emissions from the three fuels (lignite, gas and oil, including CHP) to the country’s total electricity production from the interconnected grid and the non-interconnected islands.
