Home: $307 Million Set Aside for Italy-Tunisia Subsea Interconnection
November 29, 2023, by Melisa Cavcic
The European Union (EU) is taking a major step to ensure a green energy future by signing a grant agreement to bring to life the first direct current interconnection between Europe and Africa. This initiative has been welcomed by Italy’s transmission power grid operator, Terna, and Steg, the Tunisian electricity and gas company, that will work on the Italy-Tunisia electricity interconnection.
Terna
The grant agreement for the Elmed electrical interconnection between Italy and Tunisia, has secured €307 million financing from the European Commission for the subsea power line between the two countries. This development was announced during the fourth edition of the PCI Energy Days event in Brussels, hosted by Terna, according to an update from the company.
Commenting on this project, EU Commissioner for Energy, Kadri Simson, remarked: “The Elmed electricity cable link that will connect Italy and Tunisia is exceptional in many ways. It is the first project under the Connecting Europe Facility to receive funding for works on electricity infrastructure project developed by a member state and a third country. I want to congratulate Elmed for showcasing true interconnectivity in practice, and wish the project best of success.”
Expectations are high for the invisible energy bridge connecting Europe and North Africa, which is expected to allow for better renewable energy integration in both continents and promote the diversification of supply sources, as well as increase overall energy security.
Giuseppina Di Foggia, CEO and General Manager of Terna, stated: “Elmed is a strategic infrastructure for Italy and Europe, one of the most important projects of Terna’s development plan and will contribute to the increase and integration of renewable energy sources in both continents, allowing our country and the EU to enhance energy independence.”
With 600 MW of power and a total investment of €850 million, the interconnection will be approximately 220 km long and about 200 km under the sea at a maximum depth of about 800 m. This project is expected to contribute to the integration of electricity markets and energy supply security through the diversification of sources.
Commenting on the financing of €307 million for the Elmed project, Chairman and General Manager of Steg, Fayçel Tarifa, noted: “The financing of €307 million allocated to the flagship Elmed project testifies to the longstanding partnership between the Tunisian government and the European Union in the energy sector, highlighting the strategic importance of this project for a secure,
