PPC Group has entered into a new partnership with the Hydropower Sustainability Alliance (HSA) aimed at improving sustainability practices across its hydropower operations in Greece.
The collaboration was formally launched in Athens in May 2025 during a visit by senior HSA representatives. The partnership will involve training, project assessments, and long-term engagement to implement the Hydropower Sustainability Standard (HSS), an international framework for evaluating environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance in hydropower and pumped storage hydropower (PSH) projects.
During the launch, 32 PPC employees received Certified User training on the HSS, preparing them to assess and improve ESG performance across existing and future projects. Additional activities planned for 2025 include internal assessor training and self-assessments of selected sites. The partnership also includes plans for a formal HSS assessment of one PPC hydropower project later this year.
PPC is in the process of phasing out lignite power plants and repurposing former mining sites for pumped storage development. These efforts are part of a broader strategy to decarbonise Greece’s energy mix and improve ESG standards.
“PPC is undergoing a holistic transformation with the aim of achieving net-zero GHG emissions across the value chain by 2040,” said PPC Group Chief Sustainability Officer Achilleas Ioakeimidis. “As part of this transformation, we are firmly committed to embedding the highest standards of sustainability into every aspect of our operations. Hydropower plays a pivotal role in our clean energy strategy, and adopting the HSS is a key step in ensuring that our hydropower and PSH projects meet rigorous environmental, social, and governance criteria. Our partnership with the Hydropower Sustainability Alliance supports our vision to lead the energy transition in Greece and Southeast Europe in a responsible and transparent manner.”
João Costa, Executive Director of the Hydropower Sustainability Alliance, added: “This collaboration with PPC represents a strong commitment to sustainability and international good practice in hydropower development. PPC is showing leadership across the region by embedding ESG excellence into the heart of its operations, rooted in the Hydropower Sustainability Standard. We are proud to support their journey through training, capacity building and project assessments, and we look forward to seeing their ambition translated into tangible impact.”
The HSS offers a globally recognised method for evaluating hydropower projects against a comprehensive set of sustainability criteria. PPC’s adoption of the standard is part of its ongoing efforts to position itself as a leading clean energy provider in Europe.
