Greece seeks approval for Cyprus-Israel electricity connector
Greece's Independent Power Transmission Operator submitted a formal investment request to Cypriot and Israeli authorities for the Cyprus-Israel electricity interconnection under EU TEN-E Regulation.
The submission was filed under the European TEN-E Regulation and represents a critical procedural milestone for the ambitious cross-border energy infrastructure initiative, according to in-cyprus (Philenews).
IPTO confirmed that the request follows completion of mandatory cost-benefit analysis and a cross-border cost allocation proposal, both required under European Union frameworks governing trans-European energy networks.
Regulatory Approval Process Begins
The filing enables regulators in Cyprus and Israel to commence their formal assessment phase, which will culminate in a joint decision determining how construction and operational costs will be divided between the two nations. Those costs will subsequently be recovered through the project’s regulated revenue structure, IPTO indicated.
Following regulatory agreement on cost allocation, a final investment decision will be issued, triggering the financing phase. IPTO has stated its intention to bring in additional investors for the Cyprus-Israel segment, replicating the model used for the Greece-Cyprus leg where French investment firm Meridiam took a majority stake.
Political Momentum and Technical Specifications
The regulatory filing comes just days after IPTO and Meridiam formalized their partnership agreement at the Maximos Mansion in Athens, cementing the French group’s position as majority shareholder in the Great Sea Interconnector company. The development also follows a telephone conversation between Cyprus Environment and Energy Minister Stavros Papastavrou and his Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen regarding the interconnection’s progress.
On the Cypriot side, the subsea cable system will terminate at a converter station planned for development at Kofinou. The corresponding Israeli infrastructure will be constructed in the Hadera area. The offshore cable route will span approximately 324 kilometers at depths ranging between 2,200 and 2,400 meters.
The link will feature bidirectional electricity transmission capability, operating as a bipolar 500 kV high voltage direct current system with a nominal transfer capacity of 1,000 megawatts. The Great Sea Interconnector has been designated an EU Project of Common Interest.
Economic Viability Confirmed
IPTO emphasized that preparatory studies involved extensive consultation and data exchange with relevant bodies in both countries, including energy ministries, Cyprus’s transmission system operator TSOC, and Israel’s system operator NOGA. The consultations incorporated current projections for electricity system development, demand growth, renewable energy penetration, and required infrastructure expansion.
The analysis confirmed the project’s economic viability across all scenarios examined, according to the company. The interconnection is expected to deliver substantial benefits for security of supply, renewable energy integration, and deeper integration of eastern Mediterranean electricity markets with the European transmission network.
IPTO noted that since assuming the role of project promoter for the entire Great Sea Interconnector, it has maintained continuous coordination with relevant authorities, transmission operators, and other stakeholders across all connected countries to advance the technical, regulatory, and financing requirements.
With information from in-cyprus (Philenews)
