Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis rejected calls to restore lignite coal power during a visit to Western Macedonia, calling the fuel economically unviable.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with journalist Antonis Pougaridis for local newspaper Ptolemaios and e-ptolemeos.gr, Mitsotakis defended his administration's 1 billion euro Just Development Transition Program designed to shift the northern region away from coal dependency.
Mitsotakis said that lignite was no longer a competitive energy source due to the rising cost of carbon dioxide emission allowances. He added that anyone claiming lignite could return as the mainstay of the regional economy was lying and deceiving local residents.
He noted that the phase-out of brown coal in Greece did not begin under his government in 2019, but had been underway since 2010. The government's 2019 decision established a structured plan to secure European Union funding, turning an inevitable economic shift into an organised transition toward renewables and natural gas as base fuel.
Energy Projects and Data Centers
Addressing fears over lost jobs, Mitsotakis insisted that state electric utility Public Power Corporation was not abandoning the region despite closing most lignite units. While the Ptolemaida 5 plant continues operating temporarily, the utility is redeveloping legacy industrial sites.
At the decommissioned Kardia lignite plant, Public Power Corporation is constructing a new combined heat and power unit with government support to secure long-term district heating for Ptolemaida, Amyntaio, and Kozani. The government has guaranteed district heating costs until the new plant opens.
The Kardia site will also host a large pumped storage hydroelectric system using two reservoirs to function as a grid battery, alongside new synchronous condensers for grid stability. Nearby in Agios Dimitrios, the utility plans to build a large data center to turn Western Macedonia into a center for artificial intelligence infrastructure.
Mitsotakis stated that these initiatives would create more than 2,000 jobs offering higher pay and better working conditions than traditional coal mining. He added that Public Power Corporation remains the region's largest employer and continues to collaborate with the University of Western Macedonia.
Private Investment and Local Business
Highlighting private sector projects, Mitsotakis pointed to the Wonderplant hydroponic tomato greenhouse complex developed by investor Mr Theodoropoulos. The project represents an investment exceeding 150 million euros, supported by 60 million euros from the Just Development Transition Program.
Built on reclaimed former mining land, the greenhouse will generate over 400 jobs within 12 to 18 months. Mitsotakis also cited an expansion by snack manufacturer Tottis that will add 200 jobs, and the growth of municipal bottled water company Xino Nero, which expanded revenue from 1.5 million to 10 million euros and grew its staff from eight to 70 workers under national development incentives.
The prime minister outlined growth opportunities in mountain tourism and winemaking across Nymfaio, the Four Lakes area, Grevena, and the Vasilitsa ski resort, where access road construction is underway. He added that regional winemakers are expanding wine tourism facilities.
Roads and Transport Infrastructure
Transport infrastructure plays a critical role in regional development, according to Mitsotakis. He highlighted the completion of the E65 highway, which reduces travel times from Florina and Kastoria to Athens to between 4 and 4.5 hours, noting he personally intervened with the European Commission in 2019 to unblock its funding.
He added that the privatised Egnatia Motorway will see 300 million euros in upgrades over the next two years, creating additional construction jobs across Epirus and Macedonia. Tenders are also launching for the first section of the Ptolemaida to Florina road, beginning with the stretch to Xino Nero, while the Kleisoura Tunnel connecting Kastoria and Ptolemaida is set to open within a year.
Regarding rail connections, Mitsotakis noted that the passenger line between Florina and Thessaloniki reopened after a four-year hiatus, with plans under study to connect it to the Florina industrial zone. However, he ruled out building a new western rail corridor or a cross-regional rail line, calling such proposals financially and technically unfeasible.
Healthcare and Regional Support
On healthcare, Mitsotakis announced that the modernised Mamatsio Hospital in Kozani, featuring a new operational emergency department, will officially open within three to four months before the end of 2026. The government secured 23 million euros to renovate the original 1950s hospital building.
At the Bodosakeio Hospital in Ptolemaida, a new oncology clinic is being established so local cancer patients no longer need to travel to Thessaloniki for treatment. Meanwhile, Deputy Minister Nikos Papathanasis is overseeing transition program funding, while public employment service DYPA programs and specific support initiatives target sectors such as the Kastoria fur industry.
The prime minister also addressed higher education, noting that the government is working with university leadership to resolve public-private partnership delays affecting new student dormitories at the University of Western Macedonia.
Demographics and Political Clashes
To counter population decline across northern Greece, Mitsotakis proposed targeted support for traditional livestock farming in the Pindos mountains. He outlined plans for his next term to help farmers rebuild herds, noting that a 200-animal herd yields strong income from milk sales alone, supporting local cheese production and keeping young families in rural villages.
Regional plans coordinated by official Thanasis Kontogeorgis have been tailored for each regional unit after local consultations. Mitsotakis sharply criticised opposition party PASOK and MP Paris Koukoulopoulos for urging extensions to coal plant operations, comparing lignite profitability to a shop that only turns a profit on New Year's Eve.
Mitsotakis targeted PASOK leader Nikos Androulakis for opposing Bank of Greece Governor Yannis Stournaras while voting for Elena Akrita as parliamentary vice-president. Responding to shifts among conservative voters toward right-wing factions and potential movements involving former prime minister Antonis Samaras, Mitsotakis called on citizens to judge his government by delivered results before national elections in spring 2027.
