Nexans powers Up Crete: HVDC subsea cable connects island to Greece’s mainland grid

The Attica–Crete interconnector, Greece’s largest electricity transmission project, officially entered into operation on May 24, 2025. This landmark achievement marks the first-ever full integration of Crete into the Greek national power grid through a 500 kV high-voltage direct current (HVDC) connection.

Nexans, a global leader in  cable systems, delivered one 500 MW HVDC subsea cable system, forming half of the bipole interconnection between the Attica region on mainland Greece and the Heraklion area on Crete. The project was commissioned by the Greek Transmission System Operator (IPTO/ADMIE) and developed by its subsidiary, Ariadne Interconnection.

Nexans’ scope of work included:

• Design, manufacture, subsea installation and Site Acceptance Testing completed in 2023
• Capjet jetting and protection operations performed along the seabed, reaching depths of 800m

On May 21, 2025, IPTO announced that the converter stations were successfully energized and began injecting reactive power into the electrical systems of both Attica and Crete. The interconnector was fully commissioned on May 24, with trial operations continuing through the summer months.