PPC Group, the largest clean energy firm in Southeast Europe, has initiated a partnership with the Hydropower Sustainability Alliance (HSA) to implement international best practices within its hydropower operations and expedite its sustainability objectives.
This collaboration represents a pivotal advancement in PPC’s comprehensive strategy to spearhead the energy transition in Greece and the broader region, emphasizing environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance. To accelerate the decarbonization of its energy resources, PPC is actively pursuing ambitious initiatives to retire lignite plants and convert former lignite sites into pumped storage hydropower (PSH) facilities, among other projects.
In May 2025, high-level representatives from HSA met with PPC’s executive team in Athens to officially launch the partnership and kick off a program focused on capacity building and project involvement. The initial visit included Certified User training for 32 PPC employees, empowering them to utilize the Hydropower Sustainability Standard (HSS) to evaluate and enhance the ESG performance of both current and developing hydropower and PSH projects.
Additional activities are slated for 2025, including self-assessments of selected projects and Internal Assessor Training. The partnership also involves plans for an official assessment of a PPC hydropower project later this year, with aspirations for certification under the HSS.
PPC Group’s Chief Sustainability Officer, Achilleas Ioakeimidis, remarked: “PPC is undergoing a comprehensive transformation aimed at achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions across our value chain by 2040. Integral to this transformation is our commitment to upholding the highest sustainability standards throughout our operations. Hydropower is crucial to our clean energy agenda, and adopting the Hydropower Sustainability Standard is a vital step toward ensuring our hydropower and PSH projects meet rigorous ESG criteria. Our collaboration with the Hydropower Sustainability Alliance reinforces our vision of leading the energy transition in Greece and Southeast Europe responsibly and transparently.”
João Costa, Executive Director of the Hydropower Sustainability Alliance, stated: “This partnership with PPC epitomizes a strong dedication to sustainability and international best practices in hydropower development. PPC is demonstrating leadership in the region by embedding ESG excellence at the core of its operations, grounded in the Hydropower Sustainability Standard. We are excited to support their journey through training, capacity enhancement, and project assessments, and we look forward to witnessing their ambitions yield meaningful results.”
The Hydropower Sustainability Standard offers a globally recognized framework for assessing and certifying hydropower and PSH projects against stringent sustainability criteria. By adopting this standard, PPC Group aims to fortify its status as one of Europe’s most responsible and forward-thinking energy companies.
