Emissions from electricity production reached a 12-month low in April 2026 (0.93 million tons) due to reduced use of fossil fuels, particularly oil (0.1 million tons). The average annual carbon intensity reached a new all-time low (233.4 g CO2/kWh). However, for the first four months, emissions totaled 4.9 million tons, with fossil gas accounting for 56.1%. Without RES curtailments during this period (885 GWh), carbon emissions would have been 12% lower.
Monthly emissions from each power plant in Greece (that is subject to ETS reporting) are estimated based on the latest available electricity production data (April 2026 for the interconnected network and for non-interconnected islands) and the annual CO2 emissions from ETS (2025), following the methodology and assumptions presented here.
Carbon intensity of electricity production
In April 2026, the carbon intensity of electricity production stood at 225.3 g CO2/kWh, down 2.6% from March, due to reduced electricity production from all three fossil fuels (lignite, fossil gas, oil). April’s carbon intensity was the second lowest of the year after February’s (212.9 g CO2/kWh).
For the first four months of 2026, the average carbon intensity stood at 233.4 g CO2/kWh, reaching a new all-time low and improving by 13% compared to the average carbon intensity of 2025, thanks to record electricity generation from clean sources (renewables and large hydro plants) combined with a slight decline in the use of fossil fuels.
Based on IPTO’s ISP2 and ISP3 forecasts, RES curtailments in April reached a monthly record of 475 GWh, bringing the cumulative total for the first four months of 2026 to an estimated 885 GWh, or 8.7% of total RES production. If the curtailed electricity had been used to reduce electricity generation from gas and lignite, then the average carbon intensity would have been 205 g CO2/kWh, 12.2% lower than the actual figure and 23.6% lower than the 2025 carbon intensity.
Emissions per fuel
In April 2026, CO2 emissions from power plants using fossil fuels reached a 12-month low of 0.93 million tons, down 28.5% from March, while falling below 1 million tons for the first time in 11 months.
Cumulatively for the first four months of the year, 2026 emissions reached 4.9 million tons, down 10% compared to the same period in 2025, but higher than 2024 emissions for the same period (4.7 million tons).
Fossil gas accounted for the largest share at 56.1% of the total, with emissions of 2.8 million tons for the four-month period. Compared to the first four months of 2025, emissions from gas-fired plants fell by 2.3%, yet they were the second-highest on record.
Lignite-fired power plants emitted 1.6 million tons in the first four months of 2026, accounting for 32.9% of total electricity generation emissions. Compared to the same period last year, lignite emissions decreased by 8.8%, reaching a new historic low.
Finally, oil-fired power plants on non-interconnected islands emitted 0.4 million tons, a 45.9% decrease compared to the same period last year and the lowest on record due to the interconnection with Crete. Oil’s share of total electricity generation emissions in the first four months of 2026 was 8.2%.
Emissions per thermal power plant
In terms of the breakdown of emissions by power plant, the lignite power plant of Agios Dimitrios remained the top polluter for the first four months of 2026, despite reduced electricity production. Specifically, the Agios Dimitrios power plant emitted a total of 1.47 million tons and was responsible for 29.8% of the sector’s total emissions.
In second place was Agios Nikolaos II, which operates on fossil gas and had emissions of 0.53 million tons, and Megalopolis V ranked third with emissions of 0.41 million tons. Rounding out the top five polluters for the first four months of 2026 were Thermoilektriki Komotinis (0.3 million tons , despite having zero production in April), and electricity generation from the Aluminion plant (0.2 million tons).
On the non-interconnected islands, which no longer include Crete, the five largest polluters for the first four months of 2026 were the two power plants on Rhodes, the power plant on Lesbos, and those on Thira and Kos. Specifically, the Rhodes station emitted 0.07 million tons, the South Rhodes station 0.052 million tons, the Lesbos station 0.051 million tons, the Thira station 0.05 million tons, and the Kos station 0.04 million tons.
Sectoral emissions – comparison with NECP
In the final revised National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) submitted to the European Commission in December 2024, emissions from the sector for 2025 should not have exceeded 10.2 million tons, while for 2030 they should not exceed 4 million tons. Assuming a linear reduction in emissions between 2025 and 2030, it follows that the carbon budget for the power sector for 2026 should not exceed 9 million tons.
So far in 2026, the electricity production sector is estimated to have emitted 4.94 million tons, or 55.1% of the annual carbon budget. This means that for the remaining 2/3 of the year, 4.02 million tons of emissions remain for the country to meet its NECP commitments.
You can explore how electricity sector emissions evolved since 2013, as well as find analyses from previous months here.
