Terna, the Italian electricity grid operator, and IPTO, its Greek counterpart, have announced a significant investment of €1.9 billion ($2.1 billion) in the GRITA 2 project. This ambitious initiative envisions the establishment of a new electrical interconnection between Italy and Greece. It will strengthen energy security and allow public and private actors in both countries to procure energy more efficiently.
The GRITA 2 project has an unidirectional transmission capacity of up to 1 gigawatt (GW). It would cover around 300 kilometers in total, including a subsea section of up to 240 kilometers. This subsea segment will be deep, with depths approaching 1 kilometer, so it will be a very technically challenging endeavor. The Italian terminus of the subsea cable would be in Melendugno. At the same time, they will construct a new converter station in Galatina, the two in the province of Lecce.
In late November, the GRITA 2 project advanced again by being included in the European TSOs’ ten-year network development plan for 2024. It has been proposed for the second, still-unapproved list of Projects of Common Interest/Projects of Mutual Interest. This project will strengthen energy security in southern Italy. It will provide another means of keeping energy flowing between the two countries.
The new Greece-Italy energy corridor increases the capacity to exchange electricity between the regions efficiently. This joint action will enhance the development and effectiveness of a more integrated European electricity wholesale market. The partnership between Terna and IPTO is expected to provide concrete customer benefits in both countries and Italy and Greece.
“The new submarine power link between Italy and Greece will enhance energy security in southern Italy and facilitate efficient energy procurement by enabling new resources and maintaining energy exchange between the two countries. Operating alongside the existing interconnection, which has been in service since 2002, this project will further increase the efficiency of electricity transmission.” – Giuseppina Di Foggia
Furthermore, Manos Manousakis emphasized the broader implications of electrical interconnectivity.
“Electrical interconnectivity plays a vital role in advancing Europe’s climate goals and clean energy transition. The new energy corridor between Greece and Italy will not only expand the capacity for electricity exchange but also bolster energy security and enhance the efficiency of the integrated European electricity market, delivering tangible benefits to consumers in both nations.” – Manos Manousakis