A new era for Greece’s energy security and green transition is underway.
More specifically, the trial operation of the Attica-Crete electrical interconnection, an emblematic direct current (HVDC) project, built by Ariadne Interconnection, a subsidiary of IPTO, successfully began on Saturday, May 24.
The trial period will last throughout the summer months, with Crete now becoming an integral part of the National Electricity System.
The project marks a historic milestone for the country’s Electricity Transmission System: it is the first extra-high voltage direct current interconnection in Greece, which eliminates the electrical isolation of the country’s largest island and transforms it into an energy hub of strategic importance, with immediate environmental and economic benefits.
The first interconnection of Crete was implemented in 2021 with the Peloponnese, through alternating current technology. The new, second line, strengthens the island’s energy sufficiency, fully integrating Crete into the national grid and enhancing the utilization of Renewable Energy Sources.
The 1 GW project, with a budget of 1.1 billion euros, includes 500 kV submarine cables buried at depths of up to 1,200 meters – one of the deepest interconnections in the world – and applies cutting-edge VSC technology at the Converter Stations. Contracts were awarded to major international and Greek companies such as Siemens, TERNA, Nexans, Prysmian, NKT and Hellenic Cables.
In record time
The construction was completed in a record time of 4.5 years, when similar projects in Europe require more than seven years. The progress was made despite the adversities of the pandemic and the blows to the global supply chain.
Minister of Environment and Energy Stavros Papastavrou stated: “We are opening a new era on the energy map of Greece. The undersea energy bridge that connects Crete with the mainland is a national success and a technological leap. Crete becomes a central pillar of the energy transition and Greece’s strategic position in the Eastern Mediterranean is strengthened.”
The President and CEO of IPTO, Manos Manousakis, spoke of a “technical feat” and “a vision of decades that has become a reality.”
“The energy union of Crete with Attica, a vision of decades, became a reality by IPTO and our subsidiary Ariadne Interconnection. The operation of the interconnection opens a new chapter for the island’s energy security. It is a technical feat that places the Operator at the forefront, at an international level, in complex and high-tech electricity transmission projects. In addition to the construction of the project, its operation encountered significant challenges, as the tests were carried out in conditions of high RES penetration and with absolute safety for the electrical system. The successful implementation of the project and the know-how we have gained give us even greater confidence for the next electrical interconnections we are planning, domestic and international,” he said.
