Construction of €1B Greek electrical interconnection done, operations in spring

Ariadne Interconnection, a subsidiary of Greek transmission system operator (TSO) Independent Power Transmission Operator (IPTO or ADMIE), has completed what it says is the largest electricity transmission project in Greece, with a budget exceeding €1.1 billion.

IPTO reported yesterday, December 23, that the Crete-Attica electrical interconnection had been completed, with operations expected to begin in the spring of 2025.

The Greek TSO said the project ranks among the three deepest interconnections worldwide and with a capacity of 1,000 MW leads in power transfer capacity for island systems, ensuring energy security for Crete and reducing annual CO2 emissions by 500,000 tons.

Nexans was tasked with designing, manufacturing, and installing a 335-kilometer subsea HVDC cable system for Ariadne Interconnection, under a contract won in May 2020. The activities were performed by Nexans Aurora.

The cable link will connect the Attica region on the Greek mainland to the Heraklion area in Crete, thanks to Nexans providing one 500 MW HVDC subsea cable system to form half of the bipole interconnection and Prysmian handling the other half of the interconnection and two subsea telecom links.

A wholly owned principal subsidiary of Chinese state-owned electric utility corporation State Grid Corporation of China (SGCC) recently purchased a 20% share in Ariadne Interconnection, thereby entering the interconnector.

Last month ADMIE launched the tender for the country’s second high-voltage direct current (HVDC) cable system, a project that will integrate the Dodecanese Islands into the mainland high-voltage grid.