The EuroAsia Interconnector project a bridge between Eastern Mediterranean and the European Union.

The EuroAsia Interconnector project a bridge between Eastern Mediterranean and the European Union.

Nicosia/Athens/Heraklion – 3 April 2018 – The EuroAsia Interconnector is a project of particular national geopolitical importance which enables Cyprus and Greece to act as bridges of cooperation linking the Eastern Mediterranean with the European Union, the Minister of Energy, Commerce, Industry and Tourism of Cyprus Yiorgos Lakkotrypis stressed in his speech during a Consultation Session in Nicosia on Monday 2 April 2018. The Minister said that “The project will benefit Cyprus in a variety of ways and therefore the support of the Government of the Republic of Cyprus is given”.

The EuroAsia Interconnector is a leading European Project of Common Interest which will connect the electricity grids of Israel, Cyprus and Greece (Crete-Attica) via subsea cables of 2,000 MW in total, with converter stations at each interconnection point. The cost of the first phase of the project, the interconnection of the first 1,000 MW, amounts to a total of EUR 3,5 billion.

Michalis Chrysafis, speaking on behalf of the Cyprus National Competent Authority noted that the EuroAsia Interconnector project will be the main root for electricity supply in the region between Europe and the Southeastern Mediterranean, known as an Electricity Highway. “We hope to strengthen the strategic cooperation between Greece, Cyprus and Israel on both technocratic and business levels,” Chrysafis said in his speech.

Demosthenes Voivodas, Head of the Directorate for Licensing of the General Secretariat for Strategic and Private Investments, said that the EuroAsia Interconnector, one of the most important Projects of Common Interest of the European Union, is based on extensive consultation which will help local communities stand alongside with the Project Developer in order to speed up licensing procedures.

The consultation sessions ensure the timely participation of the public in the early stages of planning. Meanwhile, the sessions that have been carried out so far have highlighted important parameters of the project with many proposals coming from the local community that can improve aspects of the project’s design.

Giorgos Killas, the Project Manager of the EuroAsia Interconnector, described the significant socio-economic benefits of the project, as well as the benefits from the European Regulation 347/2003 on Energy Infrastructure, the framework within which this important project is carried out with particular reference to securing financing. The project manager also stressed the geopolitical importance of the project and the emergence of geopolitical strategic alliances, particularly for Cyprus, as it enables the country to act as an energy hub by developing new interconnections with neighbouring countries.

Charalambos Panagiotou, Managing Director of Atlantis Consulting, presented the technical description of the project in detail, Irini Constantinou, Senior Officer of the Environmental Department of the Cyprus Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, presented the Project’s Environmental Impact Assessment Study, while Thanos Belalidis, Head of Communications Services of the consulting company Sympraxis Team, referred to the great importance of local communities and all stakeholders’ views for the present phase of the project design.

The Consultation Session was enriched by questions, statements as well as issues raised by the representatives of state, business and academic institutions and local communities. The session was attended by Israel’s Ambassador to Cyprus Shmuel Revel, Cyprus’ Ambassador to Israel Thessalia Shambou and Greece’s Ambassador to Cyprus Mr. Ilias Fotopoulos.

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