Photo: Kadri Simson / Twitter
At the inauguration ceremony for the EuroAsia Interconnector, Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades said it would end his country’s energy isolation by linking the electricity grid to Greece and Israel.
Officials marked the launch of works on the EuroAsia Interconnector, set to become the world’s longest and deepest submarine electricity cable. The first phase is to link the grids of Cyprus and Greece, through the island of Crete, after which Cyprus and Israel would be connected.
The installation is expected to be completed by the end of 2027, and commissioning is planned for the first half of 2028, Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades said at the inauguration ceremony in Nicosia. The project will lead Cyprus to the path of a new energy era and end the island’s energy isolation, he stressed.
EuroAsia Interconnector to enhance capacity for renewables integration
Cyprus is the last non-interconnected European Union member state. The project will enhance the security of energy supply and help the EU reach its climate and energy goals by integrating renewables, Anastasiades said. He also highlighted the significance of the future EuroAfrica Interconnector between Cyprus, Greece and Egypt.
In some areas between Cyprus and Greece, the HVDC cable will run 3,000 meters below sea level
Siemens and Nexans were selected as contractors. The high voltage direct current (HVDC) cable will run 3,000 meters below sea level in some areas between Cyprus and Greece.
Total cost amounts to EUR 2.5 billion, of which EUR 1.57 billion is for the first phase, which has a status of a project of common interest in the EU. It has approved EUR 657 million from the Connecting Europe Facility, the largest grant so far within the mechanism.
Pilides: Turkey could try to block interconnection project
Cyprus has earmarked EUR 100 million for the project in its National Recovery and Resilience Plan. The first phase is for a capacity of 1 GW, which is set to be increased to 2 GW. The undersea link will be 1,208 kilometers long, with another 25 kilometers on land. The Cyprus-Crete section is 898 kilometers long.
By the time the cable is installed, Cyprus will have achieved a renewable electricity surplus, according to Anastasiades
Minister of Energy Natasa Pilides separately said it is possible that Turkey would try to block the project. However, she expressed confidence that Cyprus can overcome such an issue using available legal tools and pointed out that the government is discussing the matter with the EU.
Ahead of the inauguration, Anastasiades claimed Cyprus would achieve a green electricity surplus of 120 GWh by 2027, available for exports or exchange. He estimated that the volume would grow to 1 GWh in 2030 and to more than 1.8 GWh in 2033.
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