Prysmian, new project awarded for submarine interconnection in Greece

Prysmian Group has been awarded a new contract worth approximately €21 million by IPTO (Independent Power Transmission Operator), the Transmission System Operator of the Greek electricity system, for two interconnections between the Cyclades islands (Evia, Andros and Tinos), Greece.

The project involves the design, supply and installation, as well as the related land civil work of two turnkey High Voltage Alternating Current (HVAC) cable systems designed to transmit a power of 200 MVA and consisting of 150 kV three core cables with XLPE insulation and double wire armouring and associated fibre optic cable system along a total route of over 18 km (16,5 km submarine and 2 km land) for the interconnection between the four landfalls (Evia – Andros and Andros – Tinos). The submarine cable system will increase and ensure robust, reliable and sustainable power transmission system between the Cyclades islands.

The maximum water depth expected will be in the range of 550 m in the link between the islands Evia and Andros.

The submarine cables for the link will be manufactured in the Arco Felice plant (Naples), the Group’s centre of technological and manufacturing excellence, while land cables will be produced in Pignataro (Naples). Marine cable laying activities will be performed by the Group’s “Giulio Verne” cable-laying vessel. Production of both submarine and land cables will be carried out during 2018-2019. Delivery and commissioning is scheduled for Q3 2019.

This new project confirms Prysmian’s role and commitment in developing the Mediterranean region’s power grids and particularly in ‘deep water’ cable installation. It also proves the validity of Prysmian’s know-how and HVAC technologies.

This project follows the 2014 contract awarded by IPTO for the submarine interconnection between the island of Syros (Cyclades) and the mainland power transmission System in Lavrion, Greece. Prysmian has a long-standing track record in the development of submarine interconnection milestone projects in the entire Mediterranean region, such as Italy-Greece, Sardinia-Italian Peninsula (SA.PE.I.), two interconnections between Spain and Morocco, two projects in the Balearic islands (Spanish mainland to Majorca and Ibiza to Majorca), the Cyclades project in Greece, Capri-Torre Annunziata and Capri-Sorrento in Italy and the Dardanelles link in Turkey.