Nexans EuroAsia Interconnector Contract Win
Nexans has secured a €1.43 billion turnkey contract for the EuroAsia Interconnector section that links Greece and Cyprus. This “historic first” strengthens the company’s leadership in long‑distance subsea power transmission and directly supports Europe’s shift to cleaner energy.
Project Scope and Technical Design
The EuroAsia Interconnector forms part of a wider effort to connect the grids of Greece, Cyprus, and Israel. It uses a 525 kV high‑voltage direct current (HVDC) system that will rank as the longest and deepest subsea interconnector in the world. The bi‑pole route spans 2 x 900 km and reaches depths of more than 3,000 meters on the Mediterranean Sea floor.
Nexans will manufacture mass‑impregnated HVDC cables at its plants in Halden, Norway, and Futtsu, Japan. It will then install them using the Nexans Aurora and Nexans Skagerrak cable‑laying vessels, providing a full turnkey solution from factory to seabed.
Capacity, Timeline, and Regional Impact
The interconnector will initially carry up to 1,000 MW among Greece, Cyprus, and Israel. It can later increase capacity to 2,000 MW, which equals the average electricity use of about three million households. As a result, the project will end Cyprus’s energy isolation and create a powerful “energy highway” between Europe and Asia.
Project phasing includes Pole One, targeted for 2028, and Pole Two, planned for 2029. Once fully in service, the link will improve regional energy security, support cross‑border power trading, and make it easier to integrate large amounts of renewable generation.
Nexans’ Role in the Energy Transition
Nexans CEO Christopher Guérin says the project shows the company can push the limits of high‑voltage transmission to meet growing demand. He also calls the EuroAsia Interconnector a key step toward a carbon‑free economy, aligned with Nexans’ global electrification strategy and the broader drive to reach net‑zero emissions.
EU PCI Status and Support for the Nexans EuroAsia Interconnector Contract
The European Union has classified the EuroAsia Interconnector as a Project of Common Interest (PCI). This status helps accelerate planning and permitting, reduce administrative costs, and encourage public participation.
To qualify as a PCI, a project must advance EU energy and climate goals, so much of the power flowing through the link will come from renewable and decarbonized sources. Greece’s transmission system operator, IPTO, also provides essential technical and operational support to move the project forward.
