Greece hooks up undersea power link to Crete that's key to Mediterranean expansion

1 week ago 5

Greece has completed a cardinal euro undersea powerfulness cablegram nexus connecting the mainland to the land of Crete

ByDEREK GATOPOULOS Associated Press

ATHENS, Greece -- Greece announced Monday it has completed the enactment connected an undersea powerfulness cablegram nexus connecting the mainland to the land of Crete, a cardinal measurement successful its ambitious plan for a wider enlargement of the grid successful the Eastern Mediterranean that volition yet see Cyprus and Israel.

The 1 cardinal euro ($1.14 billion) nexus spanning 330 kilometers (205 miles) was plugged successful connected Saturday and is expected to beryllium afloat operational this summer, Greece’s grid relation said.

The project, for which the European Union provided the bulk of backing done grants and loans, aims to bolster vigor diversification aft Russia’s penetration of Ukraine.

Athens hopes to widen the nexus to Cyprus and Israel — dubbed the Great Sea Interconnector — by the extremity of the decade.

The task is besides a determination toward Crete being capable to regenerate fossil fuel-based powerfulness procreation with renewables, authorities officials said.

“Crete is becoming a cardinal pillar for the country’s vigor transition,” Energy Minister Stavros Papastavrou said. “We’re moving guardant with the improvement of an integrated web of electrical interconnections, strengthening our state arsenic a strategical vigor hub successful the Eastern Mediterranean.”

However, the wider task has been analyzable by fiscal disagreements and ongoing maritime disputes betwixt Greece and Turkey.

Greece and Egypt besides privation to found a abstracted undersea link connected a akin timetable that would bypass the land of Crete and link straight to the Greek mainland, adjacent Athens.

The undersea cables to Crete person been laid astatine a extent of 1,200 meters (nearly 4,000 feet) and volition enactment a capableness of 1,000 megawatts utilizing high-voltage nonstop existent transmission systems.

Supervised by a subsidiary of Greece’s Independent Power Transmission Operator, the task progressive backstage contractors Siemens Energy of Germany, Greek operation steadfast TERNA and the Italy-based Prysmian Group cablegram company, among others.