Expanding the electricity grid in the Greek islands

This initiative is part of Phase A of a wider scheme designed to provide electricity through the double submarine cable interconnection to Syros, Paros, Tinos and Mykonos islands from the mainland city of Lavrio. This project is expected to be completed by 2019 and will ensure the reliable and sufficient electrical power supply to the aforementioned islands for the next 30 to 40 years.

This specific scheme involves the electricity supply for the subsystem Lavrio – Syros and Syros – Mykonos, and includes a number of planning expenditure, land acquisition and construction works, such as underground and submarine cable interconnections, a substation link to Lavrio, as well as outdoor connecting devices. Overall, 143 km of submarine cable will be deployed, as well as 6 km of underground cable.

A project with multiple beneficiaries

As a result of this initiative, two islands will be interconnected to the continental grid. Energy-generating companies as well as electricity consumers are expected to benefit from this project, thanks to a reduced average cost of electricity production, renewable energy promotion, and environmental protection: greenhouse emissions are set to be reduced by 5400 kt. Furthermore, 42 jobs are expected to be created during the implementation phase of the project.

Total investment and EU funding

Total investment for the project “The Interconnection of Cyclades Islands with the National Mainland Interconnected Transmission System” is EUR 165 773 292, of which the EU’s European Regional Development Fund is contributing EUR 63 650 681 from Operational Programmes "Competitiveness and Entrepreneurship", "Attica", " Central Macedonia – Western Macedonia – Eastern Macedonia and Thrace", "Thessalia – Sterea Ellada – Ipiros" and "Crete and the Aegean Islands" for the 2007 to 2013 programming period.