The Italian transmission system operator Terna confirmed that construction of the undersea cable connection with Balkans thru Montenegro is due to start in Italy on Thursday, although delays on the other side of the Adriatic Sea remain because of ongoing “expropriation processes”.
According to the deal signed in 2010, the 775-million-euro cable cable will run for 390km under the Adriatic Sea while an additional 25km will be on shore.
The terrestrial part, 10km in Montenegro’s Tivat area and 15km in Italy’s Pescara area, will run two metres underground.
The Tivat-Pescara cable, a high-voltage electric interconnection, is supposed to connect Montenegro with Italy by 2017 with the aim of enabling Montenegro to export energy from renewable sources to Italy.
Opponents of the scheme have long raised environmental concerns. However, “This project will not negatively impact on the environment”, the company reiterated in a statement issued recently.
The link between Italy and Montenegro will have a wider impact on the Balkans. In 2011 Serbia signed an agreement with Italy to export its own hydro-electricity through the cable.
Terna has also declared an interest in laying another undersea cables which will connect Italy with Croatia and Albania.
