A 335km electric cable connecting Crete with Attica is one of the world’s largest unified laying operations in the world. This complex project is being carried out by Independent Power Transmission Operator-IPTO’s subsidiary, Ariadne Interconnection.
The company is laying the 500 kV direct current ultra-high voltage submarine cable as part of the Crete-Attica electrical interconnection.
The cable weighs 13,500 tons and is laid at a maximum depth of 1,200 metres between Korakia of Heraklion (Crete) and Pachi Megaron (Attica) by the state-of-the-art cable laying ship “Leonardo da Vinci” of the contractor company Prysmian Powerlink.
This is an operation of extremely complex technical requirements that was successfully launched in early December and is estimated to last approximately 9 weeks.
After the operation of the first electrical interconnection of Crete with mainland Greece, via the Peloponnese in July 2021, IPTO is proceeding at an intensive pace and according to the schedule and the second interconnection of the island with Attica.
This is the largest electricity transmission project implemented currently in the country and has a budget of 1 billion euros. It is expected to be completed in 2024.
The underwater segment
As far as the underwater part of the project is concerned, the first 170 km’s of the electric cable, from Attica to Milos, has already been laid, as well as all the fibre optic cables, which are 670 km long.
On the Attica side, the installation works of the underground cable sections are in full progress, while the foundations of the main buildings of the Conversion Stations that will be constructed at the two ends of the interconnection, namely Damasta Heraklion and Aspropyrgos Attica, have begun.
READ MORE: Pyatt highlights that “opportunities are abound in the Greek energy sector”.
