The plans on the table include among others the electrical interconnection between Cyprus and the EU through Greece, as well as the construction of a subsea gas pipeline from the Southeastern Mediterranean to Greece and then to Italy.
This refers to the Euro-Asia Interconnectorcable and East Med pipeline, which have been submitted to the list of common interest projects (PCI) of the European Commission.
The meeting will be attended by Cypriot Energy Minister George Lakkotrypis, Greek Environment and Energy Minister Panos Skourletis and Infrastructure and Israeli Energy and Water Minister Yuval Steinitz.
It follows the meeting of the three countries’ leaders held in January in Nicosia during which President Nicos Anastasiades, Greek Premier Alexis Tsipras and Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to promote energy networks aimed at strengthening the energy security of the three countries and the region.
Both projects are designed to pass through Crete, while the first technical studies carried out show that it is feasible from a manufacturing point of view.
Specifically, the gas pipeline is designed to transport up to 16 billion cubic meters of gas annually from the eastern Mediterranean deposits to Italy via Greece.
The development includes 200 km offshore pipeline from the Levantine Basin to Cyprus, 700 km offshore pipeline from Cyprus to Crete, 400 km undersea pipeline from Crete to the Peloponnese and 600 km onshore pipeline from mainland Greece to the point of interconnection with the Poseidon pipeline in Thesprotia.
At the same time, after the Leviathan gas reservoir partners signed on Monday a massive deal with Jordan, Israel is now looking to lay the Cyprus and Greece pipeline so that their gas can be exported there and to other European countries.
This is what Steinitz told reporters in Israel on Tuesday, adding that it was an “historic” day for the country because for the first time in its history it became an energy exporter.
Steinitz also said that with his counterparts in Greece and Cyprus in Athens he would discuss the laying of a “long” pipeline to Cyprus and then to Greece, and from there further inland to other parts of Europe.
“We will export gas to other countries in the region, and also to Europe,” Steinitz said. “That will turn us into a world energy player and enable us to discover and develop additional large gas fields.”
Source: InCyprus
