Tender documents for design and build of EuroAsia Interconnector published

The tender documents for the four contracts – worth a combined €3.5bn – for the design and construction of the EuroAsia Interconnector were on Thursday published in the official journal of the EU.

The EuroAsia Interconnector is a European Project of Common Interest, also labelled as an ‘electricity highway’ by the European Commission, connecting the national grids of Israel, Cyprus and Greece (Crete-Attica) and creating an energy bridge between the continents of Asia and Europe allowing bi-directional transmission of electricity.

According to a press release from EuroAsia Interconnector Limited, the project promoter, the project drew the attention of all major high-voltage direct-current (Hvdc) converter manufacturers and all major Hvdc Cable manufacturers and installers, who requested to participate in the tender for the construction of the electricity interconnection.

The pre-selection phase has been completed and all candidates have been notified about the decision regarding their request to participate in the procedure.

The estimated budget of €3.5bn concerns stage 1 of the project, designed for a transmission capacity of 1,000 megawatts.

Upon full deployment the transmission capacity will be 2,000 MW. The doubling of the capacity will be achieved either through modifications to the converters or by laying a second cable.

Stage 1 comprises one contract for the four converters to be built in Israel, Cyprus, Crete and Attica (Greece); plus three more contracts for the submarine cables and land cables for the three links – Israel to Cyprus, Cyprus to Crete, and Crete to Attica.

The first two segments to be built are the internal line between Korakia, Crete and the Attica region, expected to go operational in June 2022; and the interconnection between Kofinou, Cyprus and Crete, to be completed by December 2023.

It’s understood that the EU is funding the Cyprus to Crete link to the tune of 50 per cent.

The funds will be paid to the respective energy regulators in Cyprus and Greece.

The remaining 50 per cent will be raised by EuroAsia Interconnector Limited investors.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.