Terna, the Italian electricity transmission system operator, launched public consultations about its plan to expand the capacity of the existing Italy-Greece electricity interconnection to 1 GW. The main goal of the project is to help the integration of new renewable energy capacity.
The consultations are related to an investment proposal worth 750 million euros, which envisages the construction of a new interconnector to the national electricity network to extend the existing 400 kV DC connection. The GR.ITA 2 section will add 250 kilometres of undersea cables, adding 500 MW of capacity to the existing interconnection.
Terna previously said that works on the new 500 MW link should begin next year, with the start of commercial operations targeted for 2030. Once completed, the enlarged interconnection will have two 250-kilometre undersea cables and two 50-kilometre underground DC cables connecting the landing site in Melendugno and a new converter station in Galatina.
The expansion project will be realized as part of Italy’s national electricity network development plan, which foresees investments of more than 18 billion euros in the next decade.
