Northern Aegean Interconnection Phase A (Limnos–Lesvos) is the domestic Greek HVAC subsea link planned to electrically connect the islands of Limnos (Lemnos) and Lesvos (Lesbos) to each other and into IPTO/ADMIE’s North-East Aegean programme. The work forms part of a broader Northeast Aegean inte...
The Greek Ministry of Environment and Energy approved a €1 billion capital increase for transmission operator IPTO to address financing gaps and accelerate major submarine cable interconnections, including the Dodecanese and northern Aegean island links. The capital increase, to be covered by existing shareholders, is intended to reopen bank financing that had been effectively frozen and unblock delayed tenders for these projects, which encompass the North Aegean interconnections involving Lemnos and Lesvos.
The European Investment Bank approved €490 million in financing on 12 December 2025 for IPTO’s North East Aegean Interconnection project, which will connect the islands of Lemnos, Lesvos, Chios, Samos and Skyros to Greece’s mainland grid via Nea Santa in Thrace and Aliveri on Evia using mainly 150 kV AC submarine cables and 150 kV GIS substations. This loan financing supports the overall programme, including the Lemnos–Lesvos link, and is intended to replace local oil-fired generation with cleaner, more reliable power from the mainland and to enable greater renewable energy integration.
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Limnos–Lesvos interconnection, Lemnos–Lesvos link, Λήμνος–Λέσβος διασύνδεση, Northern Aegean Phase A Limnos-Lesvos, NE Aegean Limnos–Lesvos, Limnos-Lesvos (Phase A)
On 12 December 2025, the European Investment Bank approved EUR 490 million of financing for IPTO’s North-East Aegean Interconnection, which includes the Limnos–Lesvos links as part of the broader scheme to connect Lemnos, Lesvos, Chios, Samos and Skyros to the mainland and Dodecanese grids via 150 kV AC cables and GIS substations.
On 26 February 2025, the companies participating in IPTO’s framework tender for submarine cable projects in the Dodecanese and Northeastern Aegean interconnections submitted their binding financial and technical offers, a key procurement step toward awarding the multi-year, €1.7 billion framework that will also cover the Limnos–Lesvos cable link.
In January 2025, IPTO began the final phase of its international tender for the framework agreement covering submarine cable projects for the Dodecanese and Northeastern Aegean interconnections, inviting the shortlisted companies to submit binding financial and technical offers for these cables, including the Limnos–Lesvos section.
IPTO submitted the Environmental Impact Study for the section of the North Aegean Interconnection between the New Santa (N. Santa) substation and the Western Lesvos substation to the competent authorities in December 2024, covering the corridor that includes the planned Limnos–Lesvos HVAC subsea link.
In December 2024, the Environmental Impact Assessment for the North Aegean Interconnection section from N. Santa substation to the Western Lesvos substation was posted on the Electronic Environmental Registry for public consultation, initiating the statutory review process for this part of the scheme that includes the Limnos–Lesvos link.
IPTO completed the offshore marine surveys for the Northeastern Aegean electrical interconnection, which includes the Limnos–Lesvos subsea HVAC link, as part of wider survey works covering both the Dodecanese and North Aegean cable routes in December 2024.
In October 2024, IPTO moved to Phase B of the framework agreement tender for the submarine cable projects in the Dodecanese and Northeastern Aegean, initiating the stage where prequalified contractors submitted detailed technical and economic offers for the cables, including those serving the Limnos–Lesvos interconnection.
By July 2024, IPTO had completed Phase A of the framework tender for the submarine cable interconnections of the Dodecanese and Northeastern Aegean islands, finalising the receipt and evaluation of participation applications from interested cable contractors for links such as Limnos–Lesvos.
In April 2024, IPTO launched Phase A of a framework agreement by posting a call for expressions of interest for the submarine cable interconnections of the Dodecanese and Northeastern Aegean islands, including the Limnos–Lesvos link, inviting companies to submit participation applications for these cable projects.
On 4 August 2023, IPTO released the preliminary Ten‑Year Network Development Plan 2023‑2032 for public consultation, setting out new and ongoing transmission projects. According to this TYNDP, the first phase—targeted for completion in 2027—includes the interconnection of Kos and Rhodes with the mainland via Corinth and the interconnection of Lemnos–Lesvos through Eastern Thrace, placing the Limnos–Lesvos link in Phase A of the updated national plan.
On 3 February 2022, RAE Decision 611/2021 approving the Hellenic Electricity Transmission System Development Plan 2021-2030 was published in the Greek Official Journal, formally endorsing IPTOs ten-year plan. The decision specifies that the interconnections of the Dodecanese and the North Aegean Islands must be completed within the second half of 2029, thereby confirming at regulatory level the schedule and investment authorisation for the North Aegean Interconnection including the Limnos-Lesvos Phase A link. For Greek regulated TSO transmission projects, the RAE Decision approving the TYNDP plays the same project-level planning consent role that the BNetzA NEP confirmation plays for German offshore grid connections (see EventType planning_consent_awarded description): it creates the legal basis for IPTO to plan, procure, and construct the listed transmission system under Law 4001/2011. Reclassified from regulatory_other to planning_consent_awarded during manual audit review to reflect this project-consent function and clear the missing_milestone health check warning.
On 16 July 2021, the "Market Reform Plan for Greece" was published, outlining transmission upgrades including the Interconnection of Northeast Aegean Islands, which links Lemnos to the HETS via Nea Santa and then via Lesvos and Skyros to Evia. The plan describes this 150 kV AC submarine cable scheme, with new GIS substations and reactive compensation on Lesvos, and states that commissioning of the overall Northeast Aegean interconnection is expected in 2029, providing a government‑level policy reference for the Limnos–Lesvos segment.
On 9 April 2020, IPTO presented its Ten‑Year Network Development Plan 2021‑2030 and associated "map of interconnections" to the Ministry of Environment and Energy, noting that the plan had been submitted to the regulator RAE for approval. The plan confirms the North‑East Aegean interconnection—covering Skyros, Lesvos, Limnos, Chios and Samos, and thus the Limnos–Lesvos link—as a €885 million project to be completed by 2029, integrating these islands into the mainland grid via Evia, Thrace and Kos.
On 3 January 2020, IPTO announced that the Interconnection of the North Aegean Islands would be included in its preliminary Ten‑Year Network Development Plan (TYNDP) 2021‑2030, launching the project in parallel with the Dodecanese interconnection. Phase A of this plan explicitly covers the Nea Santa–Lemnos HVC and the Lemnos–Lesvos interconnections, with completion then targeted for 2027, formally placing the Limnos–Lesvos HVAC subsea link on Greece’s regulated transmission development roadmap.
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