The progress of IPTO’s investment programme and the electricity interconnections being advanced with the Dodecanese and the North Aegean were discussed by the Deputy Chairman of IPTO and General Manager for Technology, System Development and Strategy, Ioannis Margaris, at the Athens Investment Forum.
He said contracts for the framework agreement covering submarine power cables, worth €2 billion, are expected to be signed shortly for the 150 kV high-voltage interconnections in the Dodecanese and the North Aegean. Evaluation of bids for the 11 substations is also under way. These will be built on the large and medium-sized Aegean islands due to be interconnected, respectively.
Meanwhile, the contract for the cable section of the Corinth-Kos electricity interconnection is expected to be signed in the coming days, while the second phase of the evaluation of bids for the converter stations for the same project is also under way as part of the relevant tender.
Greece-Italy interconnection
The second Greece-Italy interconnection project, being developed by IPTO and Italian grid operator Terna, is also advancing rapidly. The environmental impact assessment is due to be submitted in the coming weeks, paving the way for tender procedures to begin in the summer of 2027 for the submarine cables and converter stations on both sides.
The IPTO Deputy Chairman also discussed changes driven by the growing penetration of renewables, including the radical renewal of equipment and increased capacity at existing infrastructure. Mr Margaris said the aim was to revise the specifications of existing electricity transmission lines to increase their capacity, reducing the need to build new infrastructure, which takes time to plan and permit.
Storage and data centres
Commenting on the introduction of storage technologies and the development of data centres, Mr Margaris said they «have brought about a revolution in the sector», explaining that the speed of their implementation would be an important factor for the adequacy of the electricity system, the networks and electricity prices. «We are pleased that the bill submitted by the Ministry of Environment and Energy for approval has taken these challenges into account and sets rules for the rational development of the two sectors», he said.