Italy and Tunisia have received authorization for the Elmed electrical interconnection project, a significant step towards enhancing energy cooperation and sustainability across the Mediterranean.
The project, dubbed Elmed, will be carried out by Terna and STEG, the respective operators of the Italian and Tunisian electricity networks. The authorization, issued by the Ministry of Environment and Energy Security, paves the way for the construction of a power line with a total investment of approximately 850 million euros.
Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin hailed the authorization as a milestone in Italy's energy transition objectives, stating, “The authorization of the new interconnection between Italy and Tunisia…will allow the country, by its strategic geographical position, to strengthen the role of electric ‘hub' in Europe and the Mediterranean area, becoming a protagonist at the international level.”
Giuseppina Di Foggia, Managing Director and General Manager of Terna, underscored the significance of interconnected networks, emphasizing, “Elmed is one of the most significant projects of the Terna Business Plan 2024-2028, and the authorization obtained by the Ministry of Environment and Energy Security is an important step towards its realization.”
The project will feature a submarine cable spanning approximately 220 km, with a maximum depth of about 800 meters along the Sicilian Channel, facilitating a 600 MW current connection between the two countries.
Renato Schifani, President of the Sicilian Region, emphasized Sicily's pivotal role in the project's development, stating, “The definitive authorization of the new power line that will connect Italy and Tunisia is a great achievement in the energy transition process that sees our country on the front line.”
The Elmed project, part of the Mattei Plan and aligned with the objectives of the National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan (PNIEC), aims to improve energy market integration between the European Union and North African countries. Additionally, it seeks to promote renewable energy sources and enhance energy supply security.
Funding for the project includes 307 million euros from the European Commission's Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) funding program, marking the first time the EU has financed a project involving a non-member country.
