End isolation
Connect Cyprus to the European electricity system
Energy security
Enable electricity exchanges with Greece and the wider European network
Clean energy
Support greater renewable energy integration
Connecting Energy Systems. Creating Long-Term Value.
The Great Sea Interconnector is designed to provide long-term benefits for Cyprus, Greece and the wider European electricity system.
By connecting Cyprus to Europe’s electricity network, the project will strengthen energy security, facilitate renewable energy integration and support the development of a more competitive and resilient electricity market.
- Ending Cyprus’s Electricity Isolation
Cyprus is the last EU Member State without an electricity connection to the European electricity system.
GSI will change this by establishing a direct electricity link with Greece, enabling Cyprus to participate in the wider interconnected European electricity network.
This represents a fundamental improvement in Cyprus’s energy infrastructure.
- Strengthening Energy Security
Today, Cyprus relies on electricity generated within its own isolated system.
The interconnection will provide an additional route for electricity supply, allowing electricity exchanges with Greece and the wider European market.
This will strengthen system resilience and provide greater flexibility in responding to changes in electricity demand and supply.
- Supporting Renewable Energy Integration
Cyprus has significant renewable energy resources, particularly solar energy.
An isolated electricity system faces limitations in integrating increasing levels of variable renewable generation.
By enabling electricity exchanges with the wider European electricity system, the interconnector will help accommodate higher levels of renewable generation and support Cyprus’s decarbonisation objectives.
An independent Cost-Benefit Analysis performed in 2024 projects that GSI could limit renewable electricity curtailment to approximately 5–8% by 2040, compared with approximately 13–18% if Cyprus were to remain isolated while relying on extensive battery storage.
- Supporting More Competitive Electricity Markets
Connecting Cyprus to the European electricity network will create opportunities for greater electricity-market integration and competition.
The ability to import and export electricity supports more efficient generation and system operation, with long-term benefits for electricity consumers.
- Contributing to Europe’s Energy Transition
GSI is a European Union Project of Common Interest and forms part of the European Commission’s strategic Energy Highways initiative.
The interconnection supports Europe’s objectives to strengthen cross-border electricity infrastructure, improve energy resilience and accelerate the transition towards a lower-carbon energy system.
The same 2024 study estimates that GSI could contribute to avoiding up to approximately 1.1 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually by 2040, compared with the study’s baseline projections for Cyprus’s electricity system.
Through its long-term infrastructure investment and technical development model, GSI aims to deliver lasting economic, environmental and social value.