The Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security has started the authorization procedure for the Terna's new electricity interconnection between Italy and Tunisia, the 600 MW submarine energy bridge in direct current that will connect Europe and Africa and Italy, the Mediterranean energy hub for the management of energy flows from renewable sources.
Italy-Tunisia interconnection: investments of 850 million
An investment of approx 850 million euros, 307 million of which financed through Connecting Europe Facility, the EU fund intended for the development of key projects aimed at strengthening the EU's energy infrastructures.
“It's about a historic decision. Indeed, for the first time, CEF Community funds have been assigned to an infrastructural work developed by a Member State and a Third State. As further evidence of its strategic importance, the European Commission has allocated more than half of the budget available in the 2022 tender to the project", Terna comments in a note.
The work involves the construction of a submarine electrical connection more than 200 km long which will reach a maximum depth of 800 meters. As far as Italy is concerned, from the port of Castelvetrano, in the province of Trapani, the underground cable will run along existing roads leaving the environment and landscape unaltered for 18 km until it reaches Partanna, still in the province of Trapani, where the new conversion station will be built near the existing electrical station.
The objectives of the interconnection
“The work, carried out by Terna and STEG, the Tunisian electricity operator, will contribute to theintegration of electricity markets, security of energy supply and, above all, the increase in the production of energy from renewable sources in Europe and Africa and the diversification of sources. In addition, once operational, the connection will help reduce climate-altering emissions”, Terna explains.
"Thanks to this work, Italy will concretely become an energy hub in the Mediterranean", he declared Stefano Donnarumma, CEO of Terna. “It is a strategic infrastructure for our country and for Europe, which will be able to contribute significantly to energy independence, the security of the electricity system and the development of renewable sources. We are very satisfied with the funding from the European Commission – the first ever awarded to an intercontinental project – which has recognized the strategic value of our project”, added Donnarumma.
