In the Operational Program “Transport Infrastructures, Environment and Sustainable Development” 2014-20 of the Ministry of Development and Investments, the “Grant of ARIADNI A.E.S., for the Interconnection Project of Crete with ESMIE Phase II: Interconnection SR capacity 2x500MW, Crete – Attica/1st Stage”, with the beneficiary Ariadni Monoprosopi A.E.S. (100% subsidiary of ADMIE).

As stated in an announcement by the Ministry of Development and Investments, the project, amounting to 313,273,796 euros (total public expenditure), concerns Phase II of the project which makes it possible to supply a significant part of the island’s load from the ESMIE and in conjunction with Phase I of interconnection of Crete with the Peloponnese leads to the complete independence of the island from the production units with fuel oil, which until now ensured its energy sufficiency. That is, with these two interconnections energy sufficiency is achieved without the use of these oil units and therefore with a significantly reduced environmental footprint. At the same time, with the substitution of oil production in Crete, the cost of electricity supply to the island is significantly reduced, allowing the de-escalation of charges for Public Utility Services on the bills of consumers throughout the country.

In more detail, Phase II of the wider project of the interconnection of Crete with the Hellenic Electricity Transmission System (ETHS) includes the interconnection of Crete – Attica, which is implemented with 2 DC high voltage (HVDC) circuits of 2*500MW, and includes 6 sub-projects, mainly the following:

  • Design, supply and installation of the West Pole submarine cable system, electrode stations and submarine cables to connect the electrode stations,
  • Design, supply and installation of the East Pole Submarine Cable System,
  • Study, supply and installation of underground cable systems to interconnect the Conversion Stations with the underwater cable systems of the East Pole, the West Pole and with the submarine cables to connect the electrode stations
  • study, supply and installation of two conversion stations and a substation for the direct current electrical interconnection between Crete and Attica (2x500MW).

The inclusion and implementation of the project pursues the following goals:

  • Ensuring the smooth, reliable and more economical supply of electricity to Crete compared to the current situation.
  • Reduction of the burden caused to the environment of Crete by the existing oil production stations, which operate near residential and tourist areas, by gradually limiting their operation.
  • Reduction of CO2 emissions, as the operation of the existing oil stations for electricity production will be replaced by ESMIE natural gas units.
  • Increasing the possibility of exploiting the region’s rich wind and solar potential.
  • Improving the competitiveness of the tourism activity, which is also the most important economic sector of Crete as it contributes approximately 50% to the GDP of the island.

The electrical interconnection of Crete with Attica is – currently – the largest investment, both in terms of cost and technical complexity, for the transmission of electricity made in Greece with the aim of ending the “electrical isolation” of Crete from the electricity grid of mainland Greece and covering the increased future needs of the island.

It is noted that it is the longest in length and depth under construction cable (underwater and underground) high voltage direct current interconnection in Greece.