The submarine electricity cable connecting the island of Crete to the mainland has reached the Peloponnese peninsula, thus completing the first phase of project aimed to bring cleaner electricity to the island, Greek electricity transmission system operator ADMIE announced.
Construction works have concluded near Chania and Neapoli in Laconia, and ADMIE piloted the electrification of all parts of the cable, both in the sea and on land. This interconnection is the first step on the Crete’s transition to a cleaner energy mix, as it will cover one third of the island’s electricity needs, replacing the production of expensive and polluting diesel-fired power plants on the island.
The first phase will be followed by the construction of a second undersea cable connecting Iraklio in Crete with Attica, a project which is expected to be completed by the end of 2023. When its full interconnection is complete, the CO2 emissions stemming from electricity production on Crete will drop to zero, dramatically improving the environmental footprint of the island. In addition, consumers in the country will save up to 400 million euros per year from electricity bills.
The Crete interconnection project should eventually be connected to another submarine cable that Cyprus, Greece and Israel plan to build to interconnect their power networks – the so-call Euro-Asia Interconnector.
