Positive
Project advancing - milestone achieved
High Impact
Major milestone or critical setback
On 21 January 2021, Italy's Ministry of Economic Development issued interministerial decree n. 239/EL-189/148/2011-PR2, granting a further extension to the construction completion deadline of the Italian section of the HVDC 500 kV Italy-Montenegro interconnection. The decree extends the public-utility declaration and works deadline set by the original authorisation decree n. 239/EL-189/148/2011 of 28 July 2011 (as already extended by decree 239/EL-189/148/2011-PR of 12 July 2016). Per Terna's March 2025 ARERA report, this 2021 extension pushed the deadline out to July 2026 — reflecting the fact that the second pole (MON.ITA. 2) had not yet been delivered despite the first pole entering commercial operation on 28 December 2019. With Terna's most recent timing analysis indicating Pole 2 completion has slipped to the 2030-2032 window, a further extension of this Italian construction authorisation will be required before July 2026 to keep the permit valid for Pole 2 works.