Cable laying of the Rio – Antirrio submarine interconnection completed with an extra-high voltage 400kV submarine

Athens, August 28, 2019

On Monday, August 26, 2019 , an event took place at the area of Antirrio, during which, the management of the Independent Hellenic Transmission Operator (ADMIE) and the joint venture of Hellenic Cables – Fulgor, the contractor for the project, witnessed the completion of the cable laying works of the first submarine extra-high voltage cable of 400kV in Greece, at the area of Rio – Antirrio. This cable laying signals a new era for the Hellenic Transmission System (HTC) and the interconnection of the Peloponnese.

This first submarine extra-high voltage cable of 400kV, 18km in aggregate length, was manufactured at Fulgor’s plant located in Soussaki, Corinth, Greece, where the state of the art facilities and equipment of the Company enables the production and testing of some of the longest submarine cables- in continuous lengths- on a world-wide scale. The underground cables at the area of Rio – Antirrio for the extension of the 400kV network towards the Peloponnese are manufactured at Hellenic Cables’ plant, located in Thiva.

The General Manager of Hellenic Cables, Mr. Alexios Alexiou, stated during the event, “We are very happy for the successful cable laying of the submarine cables for the interconnection of Rio with Antirrio, an emblematic project of international significance, which constitutes a nodal point for the extension of the Transmission Lines for the 400kV power system. Apart from the exploitation of the power production potential of the area, it also accelerates significantly the ability of power transmission from and to the Peloponnese, reinforcing in parallel voltage stability in the South System.
We are also very proud for the innovation brought by our company to the submarine cables industry, by manufacturing the first 400kV submarine cable in Greece, something that signals our entry in the global market of extra-high voltage submarine cables. I would like to thank all the relevant entities for their cooperation, and I hope that this project acts as a lead for the implementation of future projects, which will open new prospects for the Greek economy”.

Mr. Manos Manousakis, President and CEO of ADMIE, stated in the course of the same event “The 400kV submarine interconnection of Rio – Antirrio, combined with the new interconnection of Megalopoli – Patras which will be completed at the end of 2019, constitutes one of the most important projects for the Hellenic Transmission System but also, specifically for the Peloponnese. This project, in conjunction with the completion of the interconnection with Crete, increases the ability of the Peloponnese to supply with renewable energy sources the country’s power system and also enables the largest power plant in the Balkans, Megalopoli V, to join the power system at its full capacity, thus converting the Peloponnese into one of the country’s energy nodes.”