Filenews 26 May 2025
On Saturday 24/5, the operation of the Attica-Crete electricity interconnection was successfully launched, with the transmission of direct current electricity through the project constructed by Ariadne Interconnection, a subsidiary of IPTO. The trial operation period is expected to last during the summer months.
This is a historic day for the country's Electricity Transmission System and IPTO, as Greece now has an ultra-high voltage direct current (HVDC) interconnection and thanks to this Crete is an integrated part of the National Electricity System.
It is recalled that Crete was first interconnected in 2021 with the Peloponnese, with alternating current technology. Thus, the operation of the second interconnection is a milestone for Crete, since in combination with the interconnection through the Peloponnese, the electrical isolation of the largest Greek island is completely removed, making it an energy hub with very significant environmental and economic benefits for the country and the local community.
It is a project with a capacity of 1 GW and a budget of €1.1 billion, with the use of cutting-edge VSC technology in the Conversion Stations and with laying of 500 kV submarine cables at depths of up to 1,200 meters, which rank it among the deepest interconnections in the world.
The Crete-Attica electricity interconnection consists of many large sub-projects with Contractors some of the largest companies in the field such as Siemens, TERNA, Nexans, Prysmian, NKT and Hellenic Cables.
It was completed in a record time of only 4.5 years, when similar projects by European Operators took more than 7 years. The implementation of the project, in addition to a high degree of technical difficulty, faced adverse circumstances that coincided with its construction phase, such as the pandemic and the serious disruptions it caused to the global supply chain.
The Minister of Environment and Energy, Stavros Papastavrou, stated: "We are inaugurating a new era on the energy map of Greece. The operation of the Attica-Crete electricity interconnection is an important technological achievement and a national success, uniting the largest island of the country with the backbone of the National Electricity System. Through this underwater energy bridge, which was built quickly and with the most modern means, Crete becomes a central pillar for the country's energy transition, offering significant environmental, economic and social benefits for all. We are effectively proceeding with the development of an integrated network of electrical interconnections, strengthening our country as a strategic energy hub in the Eastern Mediterranean".
IPTO's President and CEO, Manos Manousakis, stated: "The energy union of Crete with Attica, a decades-long vision, has been made a reality by IPTO and our subsidiary Ariadne Interconnection. The operation of the interconnection opens a new chapter for the island's energy security. This is a technical feat that places the Operator at the forefront, at an international level, in complex and high-tech electricity transmission projects. In addition to the construction of the project, its operation encountered significant challenges, as the tests were carried out in conditions of high RES penetration and with absolute safety for the electrical system. The successful implementation of the project and the know-how we have gained, give us even more confidence for the next electrical interconnections we are planning, domestic and international".
The Crete-Attica electricity interconnection is co-financed by the Operational Program YMEPERAA (NSRF 2014-2020) and by the "Environment and Climate Change" of the NSRF 2021 – 2027 up to the amount of €535.5 million thus drawing significant European and national resources and reducing, to a very large extent, the cost for the Greek consumer.
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