Our initiatives in the Mediterranean area and in Eastern Europe for implementing new interconnection infrastructures for improving the Italian electricity system’s efficiency and for increasing supply safety.
Terna is evaluating development opportunities abroad that are in line with the Group’s growth objectives and consistent with its activities, with particular attention to the quality of services offered and to financial and economic efficiency.
Terna focuses its development activities on nearby areas, particularly Eastern Europe and North Africa.
As a national transmission operator, among its fundamental tasks, Terna’s mission is to build new infrastructures interconnecting with areas having a significant energy potential that is added to the Italian one.
Initiatives in areas that represent the natural extension of its present activities are therefore strategic: first of all, Eastern Europe. In the Balkan countries, in particular, the aim is to exploit possible opportunities created by the introduction of private investments in electricity transmission and to favor submarine cable interconnections in the Adriatic Sea; these will allow importing electricity from renewable sources thanks to the significant availability of hydroelectric sources and to the deposits of lignite that are present in the area.
Terna considers the Mediterranean a priority development area for its international activities.
Italy’s strategic position represents a key factor for all Italian electricity companies.
The main elements of Terna’s 2010-2014 Strategic Plan are “electricity bridges”, with four new interconnections , two with foreign countries and two with Italy’s major islands aimed at creating the Super Smart Grid that will make Italy a true “Electricity Hub” in the Mediterranean.
The Italy-Montenegro connection, the first “electricity bridge” with the Balkan countries, will ensure the Italian electricity system benefits in the efficiency and safety of supplies.
In particular, it will allow electricity market operators to import electricity at lower costs compared to the Italian ones.
On February 6, 2010 an intergovernmental agreement was signed between Italy and Montenegro.
In the country, a satisfactory transmission grid exists that is connected with bordering countries: Albania, Bosnia Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo, Bulgaria and Romania. More information can be found in the specific section.
The other project abroad is the Italy-France infrastructure that is added to the 22 interconnections already operating with bordering countries.
A technological structure that is unique in the world: 540 million euros of investments for 190 km, with over 72 km along the highway and the Frejus tunnel, with a 1000 MW capacity.
Two “electricity bridges“ are being built with the major islands: the Sardinia and Sicily connections with the mainland, respectively SAPEI and Sorgente - Rizziconi, two high-tech record-breaking submarine cables. To learn more about the SAPEI, the record-breaking cable, visit the specific site.
The Sorgente - Rizziconi connection , between Calabria and Sicily, will be the longest submarine AC electricity line in the world, with 38 km below the Tyrrhenian sea.
For the North African region, the ELMED project for Tunisia, with the first electricity connection between Italy and North Africa. All information are available at ELMED Project in Tunisia