In 2025, emissions from the ever-polluting lignite plants fell to a historic low (3.68 million tons), while those from gas plants reached a historic high of 8.8 million tons. As a result, total emissions from the power generation sector remained at the same level as in 2024, reaching 15.75 million tons, which is 5.55 million tons above the target set in the NECP for the same year (10.2 million tons). Despite the stagnation in total emissions, the sector’s carbon intensity fell to a new low (264.7 g CO2/kWh), due to the increase in the country’s total electricity production, part of which was exported to neighboring countries. For yet another year, the lignite-fired power plant of Ag. Dimitrios was the top polluter, responsible for 17.6% of total emissions.
Monthly emissions from each power plant in Greece (that is subject to ETS reporting) are estimated based on the latest available electricity production data (December 2025 for the interconnected network and November 2025 for the non-interconnected islands) and the annual CO2 emissions from ETS (2024), following the methodology and assumptions presented here.
Carbon intensity of electricity production
For 2025, the carbon intensity of electricity production stood at 264.7 g CO2/kWh, the lowest ever recorded. However, the decrease compared to 2024 was only 2.2%, a significantly smaller improvement than in the previous two years, when carbon intensity recorded an average annual reduction of 14.5%.
Total carbon emissions from the electricity production sector in 2025 reached 15.75 million tons, practically the same as in 2024 (15.77 million tons). Thus, the reduction in carbon intensity in 2025 was mainly due to the increase in total electricity generation (from 58.3 TWh in 2024 to 59.5 TWh in 2025), partly to meet electricity demand in neighboring countries.
The carbon footprint of electricity production could be reduced even further in 2025 if curtailments from RES had been avoided and the corresponding amount of electricity had been diverted to reduce production from lignite and gas plants. Based on IPTO’s ISP2 and ISP3 forecasts, RES curtailments in 2025 are estimated at 1,867 GWh or 6.6% of total RES production. Taking into account the average carbon intensity in 2025, emissions of 0.92 million tons could have been avoided, while carbon intensity could fall to 249.2 g CO2/kWh, -5.9% compared to the actual 2025 intensity or -7.9% compared to the 2024 intensity.
In December 2025 alone, carbon intensity from electricity production increased by 28.4% compared to November, reaching 324 g CO2/kWh and close to December 2024 levels, due to increased electricity generation from lignite and natural gas. December also had the third highest carbon intensity of the year after January and February. The month with the lowest carbon intensity was August (212.1 g CO2/kWh).
Emissions per fuel
Cumulative emissions from gas-fired power plants exceeded 50% of total emissions in 2025, reaching 8.76 million tons (55.6%) and the highest emissions of the last decade, an increase of 7.5% compared to 2024.
Emissions from lignite-fired power plants in 2025 were less than half of gas emissions, reaching 3.68 million tons, down 13.8% compared to 2024 and accounting for 23.4% (of the sector’s total).
Lastly, oil-fired plants on non-interconnected islands had emissions of 2.86 million tons in 2025, down 3.6% compared to 2024 and accounting for 18.1% of the total.
The change in emissions per fuel is remarkable when compared to a decade ago, and more specifically 2015, the year in which the historic agreement was signed at the 21st World Climate Conference in Paris. On the one hand, emissions from lignite-fired plants fell sharply (-87.3%), while there was also a significant reduction in emissions from oil-fired plants on the islands (-17.3%). However, progress would have been much greater if emissions from gas-fired plants had not skyrocketed to +152%.
Specifically for December 2025, total CO2 emissions are estimated at 1.7 million tons, up 5.4% from the previous month due to increased emissions from all three fossil fuels.
More specifically, CO2 emissions from gas-fired power plants reached 0.93 million tons, the highest of the year, while increasing by 39.2% compared to November. Emissions from lignite-fired plants increased by 90.2% in December, reaching 0.54 million tons, the third highest emissions of the year after January and February. Last in the ranking was oil, with emissions of 0.18 million tons for December and an increase of 22.6% compared to November.
Emissions per thermal power plant
In terms of the breakdown of 2025 emissions by power plant, the lignite power plant of Agios Dimitrios retained its top position for another year with emissions of 2.69 million tons. It was responsible for 73.1% of lignite emissions and 17.6% of total power generation emissions, despite the fact that it produced only 1.7 TWh, covering 3% of annual domestic demand.
Ag. Nikolaos II remained in second place with emissions of 1.4 million tons, while Lavrio IV-V came in third with emissions of 1.1 million tons, moving up one place compared to 2024.
The list of top six polluters, which were responsible for 50.6% of emissions in 2025, was completed by the Megalopolis V gas plant, the Ptolemaida 5 lignite plant, and the Protergia_CC gas plant, with emissions of 1.02 million tons, 0.97 million tons, and 0.78 million tons, respectively. It is noteworthy that the list of the top six most polluting power plants remained stable throughout the year, with minor changes in the ranking between 2nd and 5th place.
On the non-interconnected islands, the five largest polluters were two plants in Crete, the power plants in Rhodes, and the plant on the island of Kos. Specifically, for the plants in Crete, Atherinolakkos had emissions of 0.64 million tons and Linoperamata 0.41 million tons for 2025. On the island of Rhodes, the Rhodes plant had emissions of 0.3 million tons, while the N.Rhodes plant had emissions of 0.27 million tons. Finally, Kos had emissions of 0.22 million tons, slightly exceeding those of the Thira plant.
Sectoral emissions – comparison with NECP
In the final revised National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) submitted to the European Commission in December 2024, the estimate for emissions from the electricity production sector in 2025 is 10.2 million tons. However, the actual emissions for the year are estimated at 15.75 million tons. Consequently, it is estimated that the sector has exceeded the available carbon budget for 2025 by 5.55 million tons, an excess that began in August.
This development is particularly worrying when one considers that, according to the NECP, emissions from the sector in 2030 should not exceed 4 million tons of CO2. If the specific climate target for the electricity production sector is missed (in theory, it is the easiest to achieve compared to other sectors of the economy), then the overall legally binding national climate target for 2030 to reduce the country’s net emissions by at least 55% compared to 1990 levels is also called into question.
You can explore how electricity sector emissions evolved since 2013, as well as find analyses from previous months here.
