Marine feasibility study underway at Italy-Tunisia link

RINA, in a joint venture with the Tunisian subsidiary Comete Engineering, is carrying out a marine feasibility study for the 600 MW Italy-Tunisia interconnection.

The submarine survey project, which started in April, will run for one year and will identify two possible landfalls at either end of the Tunita interconnection, determining which are the best options in terms of geological and environmental aspect.

It will also establish possible routes for the underwater section identifying and evaluating constraints and obstacles.

Initial landfall and route studies will be followed by topographic, nearshore and offshore field surveys.

According to RINA, preliminary geophysical surveys will be followed by a detailed survey of the seabed using instruments mounted on remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROVs).

The final stages of the project will cover seabed characterisation at the Italian site, with fieldwork expected to take around three to four months.

“This is a strategic project for Italy and Tunisia. We awarded RINA, in JV with the Tunisian subsidiary Comete Engineering, the contract for the marine feasibility studies based on a rigorous technical and commercial evaluation process. RINA scored very high for both technical capabilities and methodology,” said Guido Guida, manager at Elmed.

The Italy-Tunisia interconnection will stretch over 200 kilometres with land and subsea sections to a depth of 800 metres.

It will link up the electrical substations of Partanna in the province of Trapani with the corresponding Tunisian substation of Capo Bon.

The project is being developed by ELMED ÉTUDES SÀRL, a joint venture between Italian transmission system operator (TSO) Terna and and the Tunisian TSO Société Tunisienne de l’Électricité et du Gaz (STEG).