The Crete-Attica electrical interconnection is complete and is expected to be operational from spring of 2025, just before the start of the tourist season, reports AMNA.
The project is crucial to secure Crete’s energy security, reduce emissions, and lower electricity costs. Carrying a price tag of over €1.1 billion, the interconnection will have a capacity of 1,000 megawatts.
The Crete-Attica interconnection is the island’s section interconnection with the mainland. The first was between Crete’s western region of Chania and the Peloponnese, which was completed in 2021.
Benefits of the Crete-Attica Electrical Interconnection
The interconnections are expected to lower the cost of power, reduce Greece’s reliance on fuel imports, and lower emissions by enabling the use of more renewable energy sources to generate electricty. These benefits are particularly important for Crete due to its size and the high electricity demand during the summer tourism season.
Once the interconnection becomes operational, the fuel-powered electricity generation units on Crete will be decommissioned, elaborates AMNA.
This will lower the costs of Public Service Obligations (PSOs), currently funded by consumers through electricity bills, saving an estimated €300 million annually. Additionally, the decommissioning will prevent the annual emission of 500,000 tons of carbon dioxide and enable further development of renewable energy sources on the island.
Project Details
According to the Independent Power Transmission Operator (IPTO), the Crete–Attica Interconnection is currently the largest and most complex power transmission project in Greece, with a budget exceeding €1.1 billion. It uses cutting-edge bipolar HVDC technology and Voltage Source Converters (VSC) at its converter stations.
AMNA reports that its technical features rank it among the top interconnection projects globally. It is one of the three deepest interconnections worldwide and ranks at the top for power transfer capacity in an island system (1,000 MW), alongside the interconnection project of Sardinia, Italy.
Technical Specifications
The interconnection operates at a nominal voltage of 525 kV and has a transfer capacity of 1,000 MW, using VSC technology on both the Attica and Crete sides.
Attica Converter Station: Located north of the 400 kV Koumoundouros substation, it operates at 400kV/500kV AC/DC with a bipolar design and a capacity of 2×500 MW.
Crete Converter Station: Located in the Damasta region, operating at 150kV/500kV AC/DC.
Cables:
- Two submarine cables using Mass Impregnated HVDC technology, 525 kV, and 335 km in length.
- Two underground cables (Attica: 32 km, Crete: 11 km).
- Fiber optic cables totaling 378 km.
- The contractors for this project include some of the world’s leading companies, utilizing two of the most advanced cable-laying ships globally.
Financing
The project is funded under Greece’s NSRF Operational Program, with €313.2 million allocated for its first phase (completed by December 2023) and €222.3 million earmarked for the second phase under the 2021–2027 NSRF program for Environment and Climate Change.
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