Italian transmission system operator (TSO) Terna has scheduled public consultations in seven municipalities that will be affected by the construction of an interconnector that will be built between Italy and Greece.
Terna is expected to invest €750 million in the GR.ITA 2 interconnector which will include two 250-kilometer submarine cables with up to 1,000 MW of power and two 50-kilometer underground DC cables that will connect the landing site in Melendugno to Galatina through the municipalities of Soleto, Sternatia, Martignano, Calimera and Carpignano Salentino.
The new conversion station that will be connected to the national grid via an underground AC cable will be built in Galatina.
The first meeting with local communities and institutions will be held online on October 13 and four in-person meetings will take place over the following two weeks to guarantee the widest possible participation and interaction with the seven municipalities in the province of Lecce affected by the work.
Supported by the Apulia Region and the municipal authorities, Terna had already launched a voluntary consultation in 2022. The participatory planning phase allowed the company to propose locations for the future conversion station, the underground cables and the landing site. These project proposals will be presented at the Terna Incontra (Terna Meets) a series of events open to citizens and all stakeholders from 13 to 25 October.
According to the Italian TSO, the new interconnection between Italy and Greece will ensure safe management across the South. Efficient energy procurement will be made possible by enabling new resources via electricity market coupling and maintaining the exchange of energy between the countries, even when maintenance is being carried out.
The 60-day consultation phase comes prior to filing the project for authorization.
Italy and Greece were connected in mid-2002 by the first electrical interconnection. The 400 kV DC connection has a 500 MW bi-directional transport capacity and is over 300 kilometers long.
In June last year, on the day that Terna celebrated 20 years of this first subsea cable, the Italian company announced the investment for the second interconnector in order to double the electricity exchange capacity between the countries.
Commissioning is expected in 2030.