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Since its foundation in the 1830s, modern Greece used to import fuel from abroad in peace times and lean mainly on its own lignite resources in times of conflict. What was coal and/or lignite used for? What was the impact of shortages that occurred in certain periods of time? This article presents on one hand economic data based on the official statistics about Greek coal imports and lignite production. On the other hand it presents the position the state took regarding the energy issue following the debate among engineers, public servants and mining entrepreneurs who considered the lignite issue as a “national issue”. Using institutional economics, the article sheds light on the difficult question of the energy problem in Greece, culminating in the creation in the 1950s of a state monopoly (Public Power Corporation DEI) centered on lignite.