Work on EuroAsia connector to begin next week

Works on the EuroAsia Interconnector are due to start on October 14 and an inauguration ceremony for the project will also take place on the same day at the presidential palace.

The ceremony will be attended by President Nicos Anastasiades, Athanasios Ktorides, the founding chairman and CEO of the EuroAsia Interconnector, Kostas Skrekas, Minister of Environment and Energy of Greece, and Kadri Simson, European Commissioner for Energy.

The EuroAsia interconnector will connect the Greek, Cypriot and Israeli power grids via the world’s longest submarine power cable – 310 kilometres from Israel to Cyprus, and 898 kilometres from Cyprus to Greece, for a total of 1,208 kilometres.

Connecting the village of Kofinou to Hadera, Israel and Korakias in Crete, and slated to finish construction in 2025, the interconnector is a major EU Project of Common Interest as it aims to be an energy highway bridging Asia and Europe.

It is the most expensive project Cyprus has ever been involved in, according to Energy Minister Natasa Pilides. Back in January, the EU has allocated a total of €657 million in funds for it.

“The energy isolation of Cyprus, the last energy isolated member state of the European Union, comes to an end,” a statement released by the EU announcing the start of the works said. “Thanks to the EuroAsia Interconnector, Cyprus acquires reliable, economical and green electricity.”