EuroAsia Interconnector
The Great Sea Interconnector, formerly known as the EuroAsia Interconnector is a planned HVDC interconnector between the Greek, Cypriot, and Israeli power grids via the world's longest submarine power cable, with a length of 310 kilometres (190 mi) from Israel to Cyprus and 898 kilometres (558 mi) from Cyprus to Greece for a total of 1,208 kilometres (751 mi).
| EuroAsia Interconnector | |
|---|---|
Map of EuroAsia Interconnector | |
| Location | |
| Founded | 2010 |
| Headquarters | Nicosia, Cyprus |
| Services | Electrical grid Electric power transmission |
| Country | Cyprus Greece Israel |
| From | Hadera, Israel |
| Passes through | Kofinou, Cyprus |
| To | Korakias, Crete, Greece |
| Ownership information | |
| Owner | EuroAsia Interconnector Ltd. |
| Key people | Chairman: Christopher Pissarides |
| CEO | Nasos Ktorides |
| Project director | George Killas |
| Operator | EuroAsia Interconnector Ltd. |
| Construction information | |
| Expected | Cyprus—Greece 2028/29 Cyprus—Israel 2028/29 |
| Construction cost | €2.5 billion (Stage 1) |
| Technical information | |
| Type | Submarine power cable |
| Type of current | HVDC |
| Total length | 1,208 km (751 mi) |
| Power rating | 2,000 MW (1,000 MW in phase 1) |
| DC voltage | ±500 kV |
| No. of poles | 2 |
| Website | www |
Connecting Kofinou, Cyprus to Hadera, Israel and Korakias, Crete, Greece, the EuroAsia Interconnector is a major Project of Common Interest (PCI) of the European Union and a priority Electricity Highway Interconnector Project as an energy highway bridging Asia and Europe.
On 12 May 2017, the Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras met the State Grid Corporation of China Chairman Shu Yinbiao in Beijing, and CEO of EuroAsia Interconnector Nasos Ktorides supported the timely implementation of the EuroAsia Interconnector. On December 12, 2017 transmission system operator Elia announced the conclusion of a strategic alliance agreement for the development and implementation of the 2,000 MW interconnector.
On 8 March 2021, Cyprus, Greece and Israel signed an initial agreement to build the world's largest and deepest submarine power cable that will connect the three Mediterranean countries' power grids.
President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen visited Cyprus on 8 July 2021 and officially presented EU approval for the Cyprus plan to spend €1.2 billion under the EU Recovery and Resilience Plan. EuroAsia Interconnector got €100 million funding from EU Recovery and Resilience Plan.
On 26 January 2022, the European Commission approved €657 million under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) for EuroAsia Interconnector.
The inauguration ceremony on the start of the construction works of Interconnector held on October 14, 2022, at the Presidential Palace in Nicosia.