Investigative reports from the Greek fire department have linked faulty power lines and electricity networks to several major wildfires during the summer of 2026. A confidential report seen by Reuters indicates that a July 31 wildfire near the village of Agios Vasileios likely started on the private power grid of a wind farm following a short circuit. The findings have prompted renewed scrutiny of the nation’s aging energy infrastructure during periods of extreme heat and high winds.
The investigation follows a period of underinvestment in the Greek power grid during the country’s debt crisis between 2009 and 2018. While the national distributor, HEDNO, has significantly increased its annual spending on infrastructure improvements, many rural areas still rely on overland cables that cross through dry forests and scrubland. Data from the Greek Arson Crimes unit suggests that suspected failures in the electricity network accounted for approximately 75% of the land burned in the country this year.
In the specific case of the Mavro Spithari wind farm, investigators found that a smaller 12-acre fire had occurred on June 27, just weeks before the larger July blaze. The fire department report stated that the wind farm’s network, which is privately owned and not part of the national HEDNO grid, was not properly maintained. Specifically, the report noted a failure to clear ground vegetation around electricity poles. Three individuals were arrested in connection with the July fire, while the wind farm's parent company, Interphoton Investment Group, declined to comment on the cause while investigations continue.
The scale of the necessary repairs is substantial, involving 250,000 kilometers (approximately 155,000 miles) of distribution lines across the country. HEDNO has increased its annual investment from €150 million ($173 million) in 2019 to €800 million ($925 million) currently. To mitigate fire risks, the agency is now burying 1,800 kilometers of lines underground each year—eight times the rate seen in 2019. However, the agency notes that this transformation of the vast network cannot be completed quickly, meaning rural households and businesses will continue to rely on overhead lines for the foreseeable future.
These incidents set a precedent for legal and regulatory pressure on both state-owned and private energy providers to accelerate safety upgrades. Environmental advocates and local residents have called for a total end to overland cabling to prevent future disasters. As the investigation into the Mavro Spithari wind farm continues, the outcome may influence how private renewable energy projects are regulated and maintained. Future court dates for those arrested in the July fire have not been reported, but the government continues to face pressure to address the findings of the fire department's arson unit.