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Greek Energy Minister Praises Authority’s Achievements And Charts A Strategic Path Forward

Energy, Commerce And Industry Minister George Papanastasiou recently expressed his satisfaction with the progress and accomplishments of the Hellenic Electric Authority (often referred to as ΑΗΚ) for 2024 during a visit to its headquarters on November 17, 2025. In a commendatory address, the Minister thanked management and staff for their cooperative efforts and underscored the Authority’s essential role in maintaining a secure energy system, ensuring reliable power supply, and working to lower electricity costs.

Key Infrastructure Upgrades And Market Innovations

The Minister highlighted several critical priorities that lie ahead. Notable among these are the comprehensive upgrading of transmission networks, the installation of advanced storage systems, and the execution of a development program focused on energy production. He also stressed the importance of fostering a competitive electricity market through measures such as the recent introduction of a new Technical Guide for zero-injection photovoltaic systems and the launch of pilot projects aimed at optimizing smart meter utilization to reduce costs.

Energy Authority Headquarters

Leveraging European Investment For A Modernized Grid

A fundamental element of this strategic roadmap involves the deployment of 120 million euros in European funds dedicated to the digitization and modernization of the transmission and distribution networks. This initiative is expected to mitigate renewable energy curtailments while ensuring more efficient system operations. In tandem, progress on smart meter installations continues apace, with full implementation scheduled by January 2027.

Enhancing Flexibility And Resilience In A Competitive Environment

The Minister further emphasized that by 2027, the Authority is tasked with implementing new tariff structures designed to more accurately reflect production profiles and varying demand peaks. Flexible interconnections and seamless integration of demand response mechanisms are set to become cornerstones of this evolving strategy. The launch of a competitive electricity market on September 15, 2025, marked a significant step forward following years of delays, with substantial support from the Distribution System Operator and other stakeholders.

Modernized Energy Infrastructure

Advancements In Production And Storage Capacity

On the production front, ongoing projects include the upgrade of the Dekeleia Power Station with new generators and an 80 MW storage system slated for operation by 2026. Looking further ahead, plans envisage a comprehensive 600 MW storage capability by 2030, complemented by a distributed 120 MW system with transparent participation rules by 2026. In parallel, the modernization of the Vasiliko power plant is underway, featuring a new natural gas unit and upgrades to existing infrastructure.

Energy Production Facility

Commitment To Operational Excellence And Resilience

As the Authority adapts to a competitive market landscape, Minister Papanastasiou reiterated the need to enhance operational flexibility, improve efficiency, and better serve the public. He concluded his address by expressing gratitude to the Authority’s personnel for their swift and effective response in restoring the electrical system following the severe fire incident in the mountainous region of Limassol in July 2025, a testament to the team’s professionalism and dedication.

payabl. Launches Click To Pay With Visa To Help Merchants Improve Checkout Conversion And Reduce Fraud

payabl. has launched Click to Pay with Visa, a new card payment experience designed to help merchants reduce checkout friction, improve authorisation rates, and deliver a faster, more secure online payment journey.

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Click to Pay replaces manual card number entry with a token-based checkout experience. Once a customer’s card is enrolled, they can complete purchases in just a few clicks, without re-entering card details. The result is a faster checkout that mirrors the ease of contactless payments in-store, while maintaining strong security standards.

For merchants, the impact is measurable. According to Visa, Click to Pay can deliver up to a 11% uplift in authorisation rates compared to manual card entry, alongside significant fraud reduction through network tokenisation. Faster checkout also helps reduce cart abandonment, particularly on mobile, where typing card details remains a major source of friction.

“With online checkout, every extra step costs conversion,” said Breno Oliveira, Chief Product Officer at payabl. “Visa Click to Pay removes one of the biggest points of friction at the moment of purchase. It helps merchants approve more legitimate transactions, reduce fraud exposure, and give customers the experience they already expect.” 

Visa Click to Pay is available through payabl. checkout, enabling merchants to activate the service without additional integration complexity. The solution works across devices and supports existing security flows, including 3D Secure where required.

“Consumers have come to expect a highly personalised, intuitive, and seamless payment experience, whether they’re buying a coffee, shopping online, or applying for a loan. Visa Click to Pay aims to meet these expectations by removing the need to manually enter card details, thus enhancing both security and the consumer experience in online card payments. With the support of network tokens, Visa Click to Pay enabled a more secure and smoother transaction process, available in many countries around the world. According to European VisaNet data, Visa Click to Pay may allow a 4.5% uplift in merchant sales, meaning a possible annual increase of €51 bn in SMB eCommerce sales in the UK and EU,” said Michael Ioannides, Country Manager, Visa Cyprus.

The launch forms part of payabl.’s broader focus on checkout optimisation, helping merchants improve conversion, approvals, and payment reliability at scale. Click to Pay with Visa is now live for eligible merchants across Europe. 

Checkout expectations are rising across Europe 

Insights from payabl.’s State of European Checkouts report underline why frictionless checkout experiences are becoming a commercial priority. The research found that consumers cite speed (46%), convenience (44%), and security (41%) as the top reasons for choosing a payment method. More than half of consumers (53%) are open to switching to newer payment methods and nearly half (48%) are open to one-click checkouts, provided the solution is backed by a trusted brand such as Visa.

“Checkout is no longer just the final step of a transaction,” said Oliveira. “It is a critical part of the overall customer experience. Our research shows that 43% of European consumers will not return to a site after a poor checkout experience. For merchants across the UK and Europe, that translates directly into lost customers and lost revenue.”

The launch forms part of payabl.’s broader focus on checkout optimisation, helping merchants improve conversion, approvals, and payment reliability at scale. Click to Pay with Visa is now live for eligible merchants across Europe.

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