Nexans has been awarded the major turnkey contract, valued at €1.43 billion, for the section of the EuroAsia Interconnector that links Greece and Cyprus. As a critical part of a broader project to connect the grids of Greece, Israel, and Cyprus, the 525kV HVDC cable will be the longest and deepest interconnector in the world with a bi-pole length of 2×900 km, and will run across the Mediterranean sea floor at depths of over 3000 metres. Subsea HVDC mass impregnated cables will be manufactured in Nexans' facilities in Halden (Norway) and Futtsu (Japan), and will be installed by its cable laying vessels Nexans Aurora and Nexans Skagerrak.
The EuroAsia Interconnector will have the capacity to exchange up to 1000 MW among the three nations with the capability of increasing to 2000 MW. It will end the energy isolation of Cyprus by creating an energy highway between Europe and Asia, and will be the largest interconnector project in history. Pole One is expected to be completed in 2028 and Pole Two in 2029.
The interconnector has been designated as a Project of Common Interest by the European Union, which will allow the project to benefit from accelerated planning and permitting, lower administrative costs, and public participation. To qualify as a PCI, a project must also contribute to the European Union's energy and climate goals, and as a result, much of the electricity being shared will be from renewable and decarbonised sources.
The parties expect formal clearance by the Greek and Cypriot energy regulators to be issued in due course.
Image: Nexans cable laying vessel Aurora
