A regional electrical interconnection that makes Greece a key country for Europe’s geostrategic security.

The long-term “security” of our country through the use of an energy balance dominated by fossil fuels, with lignite and imported oil as the main actors, has offered persistently low energy prices, while it has led to sending plans to the Greek calendar. for a new energy policy that will prioritize the development of green forms of energy, as well as the creation of regional partnerships in the field of energy production and transportation in Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean.

In addition to the “violent” changes caused by the energy crisis and the need to wean ourselves from Russian natural gas, an important role in mobilizing for a change in energy policy at the international level was played by the need to reduce the use of fossil fuels to limit carbon dioxide emissions from coal, the development of technologies that made it possible to drastically reduce the cost of production , installation and operation of RES, and, obviously, the need to ensure access to large amounts of energy in economic terms.

Europe’s energy security runs through Greece

Greece is emerging as one of the key countries for Europe’s energy security, acquiring an important role for the independence of the Balkan countries from expensive (in terms of geopolitics) Russian natural gas, as well as for achieving the challenging goals set by the EU for the transition to green and clean forms of energy.

The country is a key gateway to Southeast Europe for natural gas. At the same time, electrical connections are developing, and old energy projects such as the Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline, as well as the natural gas “Vertical Corridor” between Greece, Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary, which will allow two-way natural gas flows, putting the country in an even more key point on the European energy map.

Electrical connection and the role of Greece

Demand for cheap and clean electricity is expected to rise sharply in Greece and Europe as European economies look for alternative energy supply routes to completely phase out Russian natural gas and fossil fuels. At the same time, taking into account the data provided by ADMIE, our country is expected to have a surplus of green energy to export clean electricity.

Therefore, the International Electricity Pool is expected to protect the sustainability of the National Electricity Transmission System, strengthen international and domestic electrical connections, and turn Greece into an energy hub.

Under these conditions, Greece is laying a solid foundation to become a clean energy exporter to continental Europe and the Southeast Mediterranean in the coming years through the electrical connection project between Greece and Egypt (GAP).

Greece Africa Power Connector (GAP)

Draft his proposal Eunice Group, which includes connection of southeast Crete with Egypt, as well as the extension of this connection to Attica, which is the most suitable option for the electrical connection of the two continents.

The GAP Greek-Egyptian Electric Connection Project is one of the projects they are merging. strong support from both sides of the Mediterraneanhowever, it is included in the ten-year development plan of the European Organization of Electricity System Operators. (ENTSO-E) TIDP 2022.

Planned cable (power 2000 megawatts) is characterized by significant benefits in terms of construction, geopolitical value, energy efficiency, economic viability, as well as the prospects for use that it provides for the production of clean green energy. The project is expected to cost 1.3 billion euroswith the horizon completing it 2030 and will allow the bilateral supply of green energy to Greece and Egypt.

The main advantage of this particular interface is the feature competitive costas it is a more economical solution overall and also per unit of nominal capacity (€/MW) compared to other related projects when interconnecting at the closest point of Crete to Egypt.

Upon completion GAP, ensures the addition of a large amount of electricity to the system at low prices. The low price of electricity that Interconnect will provide is due not only to the lower cost of energy produced by RES in Egypt, but also directly to the design of the project connecting the northern Mediterranean coast of Egypt and Greece. on the island of Crete, at the point of greatest proximity of Crete to Egypt, which makes GAP shortest electrical regional connection in the Eastern Mediterranean (only 400 km of cable laying). This fact implies a reduction in construction and maintenance costs, minimization of energy losses and setting the transit tariff at a particularly low level compared to other interconnection projects in the area. This last element greatly improves the economics of the project, ensures the supply of cheap energy to the end user, and leads to the convergence of energy markets without adding excessive costs.

“Natural” extension of the GAP interface electrical connections Attica – Crete (Ariadni) and Peloponnese – Crete (Small connection) putting an end to the energy “isolation” of the island. The pipeline will play a supporting role in connecting Ariadne and Mikri. Southern Aegean Sea Interconnector (SAI) which will connect Attica, Dodecanese and Crete, facilitating the export of Greek clean energy from the Aegean islands to neighboring countries.

As for the geopolitical dimension, Mr. GAP complies with European rules and the principles of international law and strengthens the sovereign rights of Greece in the region as it passes entirely through Greek territory and the delimited Greek-Egyptian EEZ in accordance with the relevant requirement of the revised European regulation for PCI/PMI projects (EU) 2022/869. It should be noted that a memorandum of understanding has already been signed between Greece and Egypt in 2021 on the electrical connection through the laying of a submarine cable, which entails the protection of the sovereign rights of our country in the southeastern Mediterranean.

Crete: the new energy center of the Eastern Mediterranean

Crete is one of the closest European points to Africa and the Middle East. It hosts significant energy infrastructure such as conventional power plants (about 1.12 GW), renewable energy (13 GW, projected to increase to 28 GW in 2030), and high and medium voltage grid infrastructure. An important parameter that enhances the role of Crete as a source of energy center in addition to GAP, this is the ADMIE construction of a large electrical network between Crete and Attica, which is already underway and is expected to be completed in the summer of 2024. His combination SAI with Attica-Crete connection works in addition to GAP, reinforcing the importance of the project. The above characteristics and infrastructure development have enhanced the role of Crete as an important energy hub in the southeastern Mediterranean, capable of managing the transmission of electricity between the three (3) continents.

US votes for Greece in Eastern Mediterranean

The reins of the Greece-Africa Power (GAP), the transnational electricity interconnection project between Greece and Egypt, have been taken over by Andreas Borges, former member of the Senate in the US state of California. From his position as CEO, Mr. Borgeas is leading initiatives to promote an international consortium in cooperation with the leaders of Greece, Egypt and the European Union, as well as the GAP team, made up of outstanding leaders with great experience and high technical background, in order to accelerate the completion of the electrical connection project between two continents, Europe and Africa.

OUR Senator Borgia he is an excellent and important leader of the GAP team with special experience in law and international relations. The Greek-American senator has held a number of public positions, including being a prominent member of the Senate from the Republican Party (2018-2022) and a federally appointed commissioner on the US-China Economic and Security Committee. During his political career, he strongly defended Greek positions on key foreign policy issues.

Near, consortium for GAP continues to expand its synergy network by adding new members with significant experience in similar projects on an international scale. McDermott and Eunice Energy Group have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU), joining forces to connect the electricity grids of Greece and Egypt, helping to build the energy future of the Eastern Mediterranean.

As a member of the consortium, McDermott, with leadership in planning, procurement, construction and installation (EPCI) subsea and deep sea, will provide leadership in the design and construction of the project. McDermott’s innovative expertise and capabilities are driving the next generation of global energy infrastructure, contributing to a brighter and more sustainable future for all of us. Its local and globally integrated resources include over 30,000 employees, a diversified fleet of specialized offshore construction vessels and manufacturing facilities around the world.

US foreign policy aligned with Greece’s strategic energy goals and GAP is a project of national importance for both countrieswhile the high importance that the United States attaches to the geopolitical chessboard of the Southeast Mediterranean makes it a priority to build such critical projects for the energy autonomy of the European continent.