CEF Energy: ELMED celebrates its grant agreement at the PCI Energy Days

On 28 November, on the occasion of the PCI Energy Days in Brussels, Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson and CINEA’s Director Paloma Aba-Garrote hosted a ceremony to mark the signature of the grant agreement under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) programme with representatives of the project ELMED.

Coordinated by the companies TERNA (Rete Elettrica Nazionale) and STEG (Société Tunisienne de l’electricité et du gas), ELMED is the first under sea high voltage electricity cable connecting Italy and Tunisia. It is a Project of Mutual Interest of the first PCI-PMI list.

The ELMED project requires a total investment of EUR 850 million and will receive more than EUR 307 million of EU funds under CEF Energy to support the construction of the 200km interconnector.

Paloma Garrote, Director of CINEA, said: “ELMED is the first electricity project linking Europe with a third country to be financed for works under CEF Energy. ELMED will benefit the Italian, North African and European electricity systems by integrating renewable energy into the grid and by delivering more reliable and resilient supply of power. I’m sure that the efforts of the beneficiaries will deliver the successful completion of the project in a few years, and CINEA will support them all along the journey to get there.” 

In addition, the project is an important element of regional cooperation with North Africa, as well as part of the national plans to decarbonise their economies by transforming their energy sector, boosting renewable energy and creating sustainable investment.

The project is now under construction phase and is expected to be commissioned in 2028.

More information

To know more about the project visit https://elmedproject.com/