The European Commission has just released the first Union list of projects of common interest (PCIs) and projects of mutual interest (PMIs), in line with the new Regulation on guidelines for trans-European energy infrastructure (TEN-E Regulation).
PCIs are key energy infrastructure projects critical for completing the European internal energy market, and PMIs are key energy infrastructure projects promoted by the Union in cooperation with third countries.
Three projects studied by Med-TSO in its Mediterranean Masterplan of Interconnections have been inserted into the list, becoming eligible for EU financial support in the frame of the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) instrument.
- ELMED, connecting Italy and Tunisia
- EuroAsia, connecting Greece, Cyprus and Israel
- GREGY, connecting Egypt and Greece
ELMED
The Elmed interconnection, spanning about 220 km (with around 200 km underwater at a maximum depth of 800 m), generates 600 MW of power and a total investment of €850 million. It promises diversified energy sources, improved market integration, and enhanced supply security. Its promoters, STEG (Tunisia) and Terna (Italy), both members of Med-TSO, signed the financing agreement with the EC during the 4th edition of the PCI Energy Days in Brussels.
EuroAsia
This project consists of two new interconnections that will be part of a multi-terminal system: one between Greece (Crete) and Cyprus and one between Cyprus and Israel, to be realized with HVDC submarine cables with a total length of around 1200 km (approximately 314 km between Cyprus and Israel, 894 km between Cyprus and Crete). The first segment linking Greece to Cyprus is already in the construction phase and has received the EU co-financing. For this reason, Med-TSO considers the project mature enough to be included in its reference grid for the year 2030.
GREGY
This subsea HVDC interconnection will have a capacity of 3.000 MW and will connect the two national electricity grids with a total length of 843 km. The green and competitively priced energy that the cable will transfer from Egypt to Greece will be produced by 9.5 GW of renewable energy sources that will be constructed and operated by Copelouzos Group in Egypt. This 3,000 MW of green energy that the GREGY project will transfer will substitute 4.5 bcm of natural gas per year and reduce CO2 emissions by about 10 million tonnes per year.
These key cross-border infrastructure projects will help the EU reach its ambitious energy and climate goals and facilitate the integration of the two shores of the Mediterranean Sea.
For more information on this topic, check the European Commission’s Press Corner.