The electrical interconnection between Corinth and Kos, with a total budget of €1.48 billion, is now officially underway, according to an announcement from ADMIE (the Hellenic Electricity Distribution Network Operator). As announced, ADMIE has formally contracted the supply of submarine and underground power cables with awarded contractor Hellenic Cables. The signing of the contract marks the launch of construction on this major energy project, with seabed surveys set to begin in the immediate term.
Read also: Crete-Cyprus electrical interconnection: ADMIE and Great Sea Interconnector announce seabed surveys along the planned route
Corinth-Kos electrical interconnection: What the project includes
The overall interconnection project is co-financed through a loan from the European Investment Bank, and has also received a positive assessment for grant funding from the Islands Decarbonisation Fund and the Just Transition Mechanism.
The project encompasses the engineering, procurement, construction and installation (EPCI) of a 320 kV High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) interconnection between Corinth and Kos, with a power transmission capacity of 1,000 MW. The total length of the cable system to be installed amounts to approximately 1,290 km.
A project of strategic importance
The Corinth–Kos electrical interconnection is a project of strategic importance, as it represents the essential first step toward connecting the Dodecanese islands to the country’s mainland electricity grid, thereby ending their energy isolation, the announcement notes.
According to ADMIE’s investment plan, Rhodes and Karpathos will subsequently be connected directly to the high-voltage grid via Kos. As part of the broader Dodecanese interconnection scheme, the autonomous electricity systems of the region’s smaller islands will also be indirectly integrated: Kasos, Halki, Symi, Kalymnos, Pserimos, Telendos, Nisyros, Tilos, Leros, Lipsi, Gyali, Patmos and Arkioi (Marathi).
The new energy corridor, as the announcement emphasizes, will put an end to Kos’s dependence on local fossil fuel power units, enhance the island’s energy security and contribute to a greener electricity supply, with environmental benefits for the local ecosystem. At the same time, the implementation of the interconnection will enable a reduction in power generation costs and, consequently, a decrease in public service obligation charges, which are currently distributed across consumers throughout the entire country.
Papastavrou: “The first decisive step toward connecting the Dodecanese to the mainland electricity grid”
Minister of Environment and Energy Stavros Papastavrou stated: “With the signing of this contract, the Corinth-Kos electrical interconnection moves from planning to implementation. This is a €1.5 billion investment and the first decisive step toward connecting the Dodecanese to the mainland electricity grid and ending their energy isolation. Kos and, subsequently, Rhodes, Karpathos and the smaller islands of the region will gain a more stable, clean and affordable electricity supply, reducing their dependence on expensive oil-fired power units. Reliable energy supply also strengthens the local economy, supports tourism businesses and upgrades the quality and competitiveness of the Dodecanese as a tourist destination. The benefit extends to all consumers, as the interconnection will contribute to reducing the public service obligation charges that appear on every electricity bill. Through projects of this scale, we are uniting Greece’s energy landscape and securing better, more affordable electricity for every citizen, in every corner of our country.”
ADMIE Chairman and CEO Manos Manousakis commented: “ADMIE is launching yet another landmark interconnection for the country’s electricity system. The Corinth-Kos interconnection is the second DC power transmission project that ADMIE has implemented in recent years, following the Crete-Attica interconnection. The expertise and high scientific competence of our people, combined with Hellenic Cables’ experience — with whom ADMIE has a proven track record of successful collaboration on complex projects — is a guarantee of technical excellence and the smooth construction of an interconnection that will enable the integration of the Dodecanese into the high-voltage grid.”
Alexis Alexiou, CEO of Cenergy Holdings and Group CEO of Hellenic Cables, stated: “We are particularly pleased about our collaboration with ADMIE on the Corinth–Kos interconnection project, to which we contribute our specialized expertise in HVDC cable systems and our experience in the turnkey delivery of complex projects. This is a strategically significant project that will connect the Dodecanese to the mainland electricity network, and we look forward to its safe and reliable completion.”
