The announcement that in April the lease for the geothermal drill will be signed in February 2027 to have the first exploratory drill for hydrocarbonsin the Ionian Sea, the Minister of Energy and Environment, Stavros Papastavrou, made the announcement on Wednesday.

Speaking to SKAI, he explained that the drilling will be carried out by Exxon Mobil, HelleniQ Energy and Energean.

The first seismic surveys south of the Peloponnese will follow “before the end of the year,” Papastavrou added.

“What is to be explored is whether the deposits are viable and commercially exploitable,” he added.

“No one should rely only on their own resources” which was proven due to the recent crisis in the Middle East, the Energy and Environment Minister said.

He finally called on all beneficiaries for savings, heat pumps, water heaters, etc. “to run to redeem their vouchers by June 30 because that’s when the Recovery Fund ends and then we start the Social Climate Fund.”