An agreement signed between Turkey and the north for the construction of a new two-way undersea electric cable was signed by Turkish vice president Cevdet Yilmaz and the north’s ‘prime minister’ Unal Ustel in Ankara on Tuesday.

The agreement codifies a plan to connect the north to Turkey’s electricity system – a move which is touted as a solution to the regular electricity shortages faced by the north.

The planned cable will have a capacity of 800 megawatts and will cost the Republic of Turkey $400 million. It is due to be completed in 2028.

The cable is planned to be operable two ways, with the north set to be theoretically able to supply Turkey with electricity should the need arise.