The next steps concerning the implementation of the new electrical interconnection Greece-Italy GRITA2 were discussed by officials of the administrators of Greece and Italy, ADMIE and TERNA, at the first working meeting of the Steering and Governance Committee held in Rome last Thursday and Friday.

The cooperation of the two sides, which has been sealed with the signing a Memorandum of Understanding last May, in the presence of the Prime Ministers of the two countries, Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Georgia Meloni, is in an acceleration phase, as can be seen from the maturation progress of the energy project and the developments expected in the immediate future.

According to information, during the meeting it was discussed the road map of tendering and licensing procedures which willrun» soon bringing the project closer to the implementation phase.

In this light, it is immediately expected start of the discount tender for her preparation of the preliminary seabed study as well as the commissioning by ADMIE and TERNA of all the required studies for the necessary environmental permits.

In addition, negotiations between the two managers also begin on financial aspects of the project, including a joint procurement policy and joint detailed preliminary costing.

It is reminded that the project aims at reinforcement of the existing interconnection of the electrical networks of Greece and Italy with a new 1,000MW bi-directional subsea DC interconnection, which will triple current electricity exchange margins.

To date the two sides have completed their project feasibility studieswhich has been included in the ten-year development program of ENTSO-E (TYNDP 2024) and is a candidate for inclusion in the 2nd PCI (Projects of Common Interest) list of the European Union.

After the completion of the above steps which are in progress it is expected to followed by the drafting of the technical specifications and of commercial requirements of the project for the purpose of announcing the main tender procedures for the construction of the Conversion Stations and the supply of the electric cables.

At this stage it will finalize the design for her construction of cables and Conversion Stations and the final study of the routing and protection of the cables in the seabed, but also in the onshore part, as well as the necessary Civil Engineering Works.

The finalization of the technical elements of the project as well as the completion of the tender procedures will lead to the construction phase, i.e. the construction in Greece and Italy of the Conversion Stations as well as the laying of the high voltage direct current (HVDC) cables.

This first official meeting of the Steering and Governance Committee (SGC) determined the next steps based on the project schedule, as agreed in the MoU signed by ADMIE and TERNA last May.