Filenews 14 October 2021 - by Frixos Dalitis
The signatures on the document for the strategically important electricity interconnection between Cyprus and Egypt fall the day after tomorrow at the Presidential Palace, between the ministers of the two countries. Natasha Pilidou and Mohamed Shaker give flesh and bones to the electrical interconnection not only of the two countries but also of two continents. The memorandum of cooperation at bilateral level, which is the conclusion of the agreement between the two ministers last September in Egypt, is one part of a trilateral cooperation involving Greece.
The bilateral agreement between Greece and Egypt is signed today in Athens, with the Greek capital being the intermediate station of the Egyptian Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy Sources. before his arrival in Cyprus on Saturday.
The agreements are part of the electricity interconnection project between Cyprus, Egypt and Greece for which a tripartite agreement is imminent. At this stage, discussions are taking place for the finalization of the Memorandum of Understanding of the three countries, so that the tripartite agreement can proceed. It is recalled that the commitment of the three governments to proceed with an electricity interconnection agreement has existed since November 2017, where it is also mentioned in the Nicosia tripartite declaration that had taken place at the time.
This is a particularly important and strategic agreement at both bilateral and tripartite level, as it is a practical demonstration of political will to:
1. Facilitate timely licensing and approvals in order to proceed with techno-economic studies.
2. Facilitate the timely granting of permits for the project to proceed.
3. Promote cooperation between regulatory authorities and the transmission system operators of the two States.
4. Ensure the safety and physical protection of the electrical interconnection project.
Apart from these, the energy interconnection between Cyprus and Egypt and then Cyprus, Egypt and Greece is a particularly important project as it is in line with the objectives of the multidimensional energy strategy of the Ministry and the Government for a rapid transition to the green economy. Specifically, through the implementation of the project, the lifting of the energy isolation of Cyprus is achieved, providing security of energy supply. At the same time, it assists the implementation of energy and climate goals of Cyprus with further penetration of RES. Cyprus' goal is to export RES electricity and attract investors in the green energy sector.
The whole project with the export of electricity to Egypt, Greece and Europe is expected to contribute positively to the economy by creating new jobs).
The Egyptian Ambassador to Cyprus, Amr Mohsen Hamsa, referred to the issue of the electricity interconnection of the three countries in his interview last Sunday to "F". "Cooperation in the field of energy was on the agenda of our trilateral cooperation and, consequently, the electricity interconnection project falls under the project plan agreed under our trilateral cooperation mechanism. It integrates the common potential we have to work together and brings together our three countries as well as our two continents, Africa and Europe, through electric connectivity. The competent authorities from both sides are in contact for the implementation of this project," he said.
Today, the agreement between Greece and Egypt is signed in Athens by the Minister of Environment and Energy, Costas Skrekas, and the Minister of Electricity and RES, Mohamed Saker. Greek media highlight the fact that this is the first interconnection between Europe and Africa in the Southeastern Mediterranean region that will improve the security of supply in the region, increasing cross-border energy exchanges but will also allow the further development of renewable energy sources to supply the pipeline.
As mentioned, the foundations for the signing of the agreement were laid during the visit of the Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis to Cairo in June, in the context of which Mr. Skrekas met with Mr. Saker and the Minister of Environment of Egypt, Yasmin Fouad and the Minister of Oil and Mineral Resources, Tarek El Molla and discussed the plans for the electricity interconnection of the two countries with the laying of an undersea cable. The agreement in principle provides for the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two ministries, which could develop into an Intergovernmental Agreement.
