Greece hooks up an undersea power link to Crete that's key to Mediterranean grid expansion
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece announced Monday it has completed the work on an undersea power cable link connecting the mainland to the island of Crete, a key step in its ambitious plan for a wider expansion of the grid in the Eastern Mediterranean that will eventually include Cyprus and Israel.
The 1 billion euro ($1.14 billion) link spanning 330 kilometers (205 miles) was plugged in on Saturday and is expected to be fully operational this summer, Greece's grid operator said.
The project, for which the European Union provided the bulk of funding through grants and loans, aims to bolster energy diversification after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Athens hopes to extend the link to Cyprus and Israel — dubbed the Great Sea Interconnector — by the end of the decade.
The project is also a move toward Crete being able to replace fossil fuel-based power generation with renewables, government officials said.
'Crete is becoming a central pillar for the country's energy transition,' Energy Minister Stavros Papastavrou said. 'We're moving forward with the development of an integrated network of electrical interconnections, strengthening our country as a strategic energy hub in the Eastern Mediterranean.'
However, the wider project has been complicated by financial disagreements and ongoing maritime disputes between Greece and Turkey.
Greece and Egypt also want to establish a separate undersea link on a similar timetable that would bypass the island of Crete and connect directly to the Greek mainland, near Athens.
The undersea cables to Crete have been laid at a depth of 1,200 meters (nearly 4,000 feet) and will support a capacity of 1,000 megawatts using high-voltage direct current transmission systems.
Supervised by a subsidiary of Greece's Independent Power Transmission Operator, the project involved private contractors Siemens Energy of Germany, Greek construction firm TERNA and the Italy-based Prysmian Group cable company, among others.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
20 minutes ago
The election of a Trump ally in Poland could alter EU and Ukraine policies
WARSAW, Poland -- Poland has elected Karol Nawrocki, a conservative historian and staunch nationalist, as its next president in a closely watched vote that signals a resurgence of right-wing populism in the heart of Europe. Nawrocki, who is set to take office on Aug. 6, is expected to shape the country's domestic and foreign policy in ways that could strain ties with Brussels while aligning the Central European nation of nearly 38 million people more closely with the administration of President Donald Trump in the United States. Here are some key takeaways: Nawrocki's victory underscores the enduring appeal of nationalist rhetoric among about half of the country along the eastern flank of NATO and the European Union, and its deep social divisions. The 42-year-old historian who had no previous political experience built his campaign on patriotic themes, traditional Catholic values, and a vow to defend Poland's sovereignty against the EU and larger European nations like Germany. His win also reflects the appeal of right-wing nationalism across Europe, where concerns about migration, national sovereignty, and cultural identity have led to surging support for parties on the right — even the far right in recent times. Far-right candidates did very well in Poland's first round of voting two weeks earlier, underlining the appeal of the nationalist and conservative views. Nawrocki picked up many of those votes. As his supporters celebrate his win, those who voted for the defeated liberal candidate, Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski, worry that it will hasten the erosion of liberal democratic norms. Nawrocki's presidency presents a direct challenge to Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who returned to power in late 2023 pledging to mend relations with the EU and restore judicial independence which Brussels said was eroded by Law and Justice, the party that backed Nawrocki. But Tusk's coalition — a fragile alliance of centrists, leftists, and agrarian conservatives — has struggled to push through key promises including a civil union law for same-sex couples and a less restrictive abortion law. Nawrocki, who opposes such measures, will have the power to veto legislation, complicating Tusk's agenda and potentially triggering political gridlock. Nawrocki's election could signal a stronger relationship between Poland and the Trump administration. Poland and the U.S. are close allies, and there are 10,000 U.S. troops stationed in Poland, but Tusk and his partners in the past have been critical of Trump. Nawrocki, however, has a worldview closely aligned with Trump and his Make America Great Again ethos. Trump welcomed Nawrocki to the White House a month ago and his administration made clear in other ways that he was its preferred candidate. While Nawrocki has voiced support for Ukraine's defense against Russian aggression, he does not back Ukrainian membership in NATO and has questioned the long-term costs of aid — particularly support for refugees. His rhetoric has at times echoed that of Trump, for instance by accusing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of what he said was insufficient gratitude for Poland's assistance. With growing public fatigue over helping Ukrainian refugees, Nawrocki's approach could shift Poland's posture from strong ally to conditional partner if the war drags on much longer. The election result is a setback for the EU, which had welcomed Tusk's return in 2023 as a signal of renewed pro-European engagement. Nawrocki and the Law and Justice party have criticized what nationalists view as EU overreach into Poland's national affairs, especially regarding judicial reforms and migration policy. While the president does not control day-to-day diplomacy, Nawrocki's symbolic and veto powers could frustrate Brussels' efforts to bring Poland back into alignment with bloc standards, particularly on rule-of-law issues. Though an EU member, Poland has its own currency, the zloty, which weakened slightly on Monday morning, reflecting investor concerns over potential policy instability and renewed tensions with EU institutions. Billions of euros in EU funding has been linked to judicial reforms which Tusk's government will now be unlikely to enact without presidential cooperation.
CNBC
26 minutes ago
- CNBC
Trump-backed nationalist clinches Poland's presidency
Nationalist Karol Nawrocki, backed by U.S. President Donald Trump, clinched the Polish presidency in a tight run-off race that spells trouble for the country's current pro-EU government. A final count showed Nawrocki, who stood for the opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party that lost its majority in 2023, secured 50.89% of votes against the 49.11% of rival Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski. Early results released before polls closed had put the liberal in the lead. Nawrocki will succeed fellow conservative Andrzej Duda — who himself won the leadership with a razor-thin advantage against Trzaskowski in 2020 — for a five-year term and can then stand for re-election once. The Polish election was closely watched in Europe, the United States and battling Eastern European neighbors Russia and Ukraine as it raises questions over the solidity of Warsaw's future alignment with Brussels and Kyiv. The head of state's role in Poland is overshadowed by that of parliament, but the president retains a critical veto over legislation. Duda has exercised this to block several reforms spearheaded by Prime Minister Donald Tusk's coalition. Eurosceptic Nawrocki can likewise deliver considerable setbacks to former European Council President Tusk's pro-EU government, which repaired fractured relations with Brussels and last year unlocked payments of up to 137 billion euros ($156 billion) of EU funds that had been frozen over rule-of-law concerns. The country of 37 million and the EU's sixth-largest economy was the largest net beneficiary of EU funds in 2024. "I'm confident that the EU will continue its very good cooperation with Poland. We are all stronger together in our community of peace, democracy, and values," EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Monday on the X social media platform. "So let us work to ensure the security and prosperity of our common home." A previously staunch supporter of Ukraine in its fight against Russia's invasion to date, Poland has offered extensive security and logistical aid to Kyiv and earlier in January assumed the rotating one-year EU presidency from the Kremlin's chief European ally Hungary under the motto "Security, Europe!" Nawrocki has taken a more critical stance toward Kyiv during his campaign, citing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's alleged poor treatment of Poland. He also ruled out the embattled country's long-held ambition of adhering to NATO — a move feared to pit the military coalition against Russian hostilities. Critically, the Polish presidential runoff was the latest test of the rise of right-wing populism in Europe, rekindled since the U.S. Trump-led MAGA victory in November. Nawrocki's win broke the streak of more liberal victories achieved in Romania and Portugal in May. U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem had urged Polish voters to extend their support to Nawrocki during the first-ever Conservative Political Action Conference in Poland last week, decrying his pro-EU opponent Trzaskowski as an "absolute train wreck of a leader." "Donald Trump is a strong leader for us, but you have an opportunity to have just as strong of a leader in Karol, if you make him the leader of this country," she said. "You can be that shining city on a hill that the rest of Europe and the world will watch and know how strong you are, how free you are because you've elected the right leader that will protect it and defend it." Poland has maintained a good relationship with Washington, particularly on security, where it evades Trump's broader criticism against — largely European — NATO allies who have historically failed to meet the coalition's defense spending target of 2% of GDP. Poland has exceeded this benchmark for the past five years, logging a 4.12% contribution in 2024 — ahead of the U.S.' own 3.38% — and investing in U.S. arsenal ranging from F-35 jets to Abrams tanks.
Yahoo
35 minutes ago
- Yahoo
What to know about Karol Nawrocki, Poland's newly elected conservative president
WARSAW, Poland (AP) — The final result of Poland's presidential election only became clear after a long, nail-gripping night of counting as both candidates were locked in a near dead heat in the first exit polls after voting ended. Poles awakened Monday to a clear albeit close result that returns a nationalist politician to the presidency who has pledged to hinder the centrist, pro-EU government for the remainder of its term. Here's what to know about Karol Nawrocki, Poland's newly elected conservative president: Trump backed him Nawrocki is a 42-year-old historian who had no political experience prior to the campaign and who was not even a party member until he was tapped by the conservative Law and Justice party that governed Poland from 2015 to 2023. Nawrocki heads the Institute of National Remembrance, which embraces nationalist historical narratives. He led efforts to topple monuments to the Soviet Red Army in Poland. Russia responded by putting him on a wanted list, according to Polish media reports. Nawrocki's supporters describe him as the embodiment of traditional, patriotic values. Many of them oppose abortion and LGBTQ+ visibility and say Nawrocki reflects the traditional values they grew up with. He was also the preferred favorite of U.S. President Donald Trump, with the American conservative group CPAC holding its first meeting in Poland last week during the campaign to give him a boost. Kristi Noem, the U.S. Homeland Security Secretary and a prominent Trump ally, strongly praised him and urged Poles to vote for him. His campaign echoed themes popular on the American right. A common refrain from his supporters is that Nawrocki will restore 'normality,' as they believe Trump has done. U.S. flags appeared at his rallies. Nawrocki performed better in the first round than expected, an indication he was underestimated in the polling. Nawrocki was linked to scandals Nawrocki's quick political rise has not been without controversy, with reports linking him to underworld figures whom he met while boxing or working as a hotel security guard in the past. Nawrocki has also been linked to a scandal involving the acquisition of a Gdansk apartment from an elderly pensioner named Jerzy. Allegations suggest Nawrocki promised to care for Jerzy in return but failed to fulfill the commitment, leading the man to end up in a publicly funded retirement home. His shifting explanations raised questions about his transparency and credibility. After the scandal erupted he donated the apartment to a charity. It recently emerged that Nawrocki took part in a 2009 Gdansk brawl involving about 140 rival soccer fans, some later convicted of crimes. Nawrocki described the fight as a form of 'noble' combat. Polish media have also reported on his connections to gangsters and the world of prostitution. His critics say all of these things make him unfit to represent Poland as the head of state but many right-wing voters don't believe the allegations and accuse the media of using its power to hurt him, creating what appears to be a rallying effect around him. It's unclear what effect, if any, these scandals had on the outcome of Sunday's result.
