EuroAsia Interconnector in implementation phase - A critical milestone reached

EuroAsia Interconnector has announced that it has awarded leading cable manufacturing company, Nexans, the complete €1.43 billion contract for the construction of the submarine cable that will connect the two countries, realising a critical milestone in the course of the strategically important project, which aims to connect Israel-Cyprus-Greece and Europe.

As announced by the operator, the electricity interconnection will transport up to 2,000 MW of energy in the second stage to Europe and will be the largest undersea electricity interconnection in history, supplying more than 3 million households with electricity.

"The €1.43 billion Nexans submarine cable contract sets multiple world records, including the longest and deepest HVDC submarine cables ever laid, with 900 km for each pair to be delivered and installed by the laying vessels Nexans Aurora and Nexans Skagerrak submarine cables and are buried in the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea at depths of up to 3,000 meters", the announcement states.

In addition, Nexans is considered the leading company in the design and manufacture of cable systems and services.

As a critical part of the wider EuroAsia Interconnector project to interconnect the electricity grids of Greece, Israel and Cyprus, the 525 kV High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) cable will be the world's longest and deepest interconnection with a 2x900 km bipolar cable, and will be laid on the bottom of the Mediterranean at depths of up to 3,000 meters, the developer reports, adding that the HVDC Mass Impregnated submarine cables will be manufactured at Nexans' facilities in Halden (Norway) and Futtsu (Japan) and will be installed by state-of-the-art cable laying vessels Nexans Aurora and Nexans Skagerrak.

The EuroAsia Interconnector will be able to transfer 1000 MW of electricity in stage 1 between Israel-Cyprus-Greece and Europe, with the possibility of increasing to 2000 MW in stage 2, corresponding to the electricity consumption of 3 million households.

"This will end the energy isolation of all of Cyprus and Israel, ensuring energy supply and creating an energy corridor between Europe and Asia," the statement said.

The first pole is expected to be completed in 2028 and the second pole in 2029.

"We are proud that after 12 years of hard work, the world's largest and deepest HVDC power interconnection to be built by Nexans will put Cyprus on the global energy map, while ending the energy isolation of Cyprus, the last non-interconnected state member of the EU," said Nasos Ktorides, CEO of EuroAsia Interconnector. 

"The EuroAsia Interconnector Israel-Cyprus-Greece electricity interconnection is a flagship European PCI 3.10 project of common interest that ends the energy isolation of Cyprus and Israel, creates security of supply, significantly reduces CO2 emissions and achieves the objectives of the "Green Deal" of European Commission," he added.

For his part, Christopher Guérin, CEO of Nexans, said that “this record-breaking project demonstrates our ability to innovate and push the boundaries of electricity transmission and distribution to meet an ever-growing global need. This is a critical step on the path to a carbon-free economy. Nexans' global electrification strategy plays a key role in the world's journey towards a zero-emissions future, and we are thrilled to have been chosen to turn the EuroAsia Interconnector into reality.”

In addition, the Independent Electricity Transmission Operator of Greece (ADMIE), offers technical and operational support, ensuring the successful implementation of the project.

The EuroAsia Interconnector is a 2,000 MW multi-terminal interconnection connecting the national electricity grids of Israel, Cyprus and Greece (Crete) to Europe.

The EuroAsia Interconnector is the longest, 1,208 km and deepest, up to 3,000 m, HVDC interconnector in the world. It ends Cyprus' energy isolation, ensures security of supply for Israel, Cyprus and Greece and creates a reliable green interconnection for Europe. It significantly reduces CO2 emissions and serves the vision of the "Green Deal" of the European Commission.

It is recalled that the EuroAsia Interconnector is a leading European Project of Common Interest (PCl) and has been included in all five PCl lists since 2013. It has been characterised as an "electric corridor" of the EU, connecting Europe with Asia. Following the approval of a €658 million grant from the European Connecting Europe Facility and €100 million from the Recovery and Resilience Fund, the EuroAsia Interconnector is moving into the construction phase.

(Source: InBusinessNews)