Heating oil goes on sale in Greece on October 15, but this year’s starting price has raised concerns. The government is preparing a direct price intervention that could cut up to 40 cents per liter at the pump.
Winter is still a few weeks away, but Greek households are already looking at the cost of staying warm.
Heating oil officially returns to the market on October 15, and the government is working on a support package to keep the opening price below €1.75 per liter. That was the closing price at the end of last year’s heating season.
The exact size of the intervention has not yet been finalized. Current plans under discussion involve support from both the government and refineries, with the combined reduction potentially reaching 30–40 cents per liter.
The 40-cent Question
The proposed intervention would be applied directly at the pump rather than relying entirely on a later household benefit.
That distinction matters. Households buying heating oil would see the reduction in the purchase price itself, rather than paying the full amount and waiting for assistance to arrive later.
The government has not yet locked in the final amount. The level of support is expected to depend partly on what happens to international oil prices in the meantime.
The government is also considering a more flexible approach that would allow the intervention to adjust as energy prices change during the winter, rather than committing all available support immediately.
The €1.75 figure isn’t a random target.
It is roughly where last year’s heating-oil season ended, and the government has said it wants the new season to begin below that level despite the sharp increase in energy costs.
The challenge is that crude oil prices have been highly volatile, making it difficult to predict where heating oil will land when deliveries begin.
For households using large quantities, every cent matters.
At €1.75 per liter, 500 liters would cost €875 before any other considerations. A 40-cent reduction would bring that same quantity down by €200.
That is the difference between a bill of €875 and €675.
Heating Season Starts October 15
The statutory heating-oil sales period begins on October 15, 2026, and runs through April 30, 2027.
That gives households a little time to decide when and how much to order, but the price question remains unsettled.
The government is expected to announce the heating-oil package shortly before the October 15 start date. Government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis has said the heating measures are expected to be presented on October 14.
If you heat your home with oil, that is the date to watch.
