Apostolos Tomaras
At an extraordinary meeting tomorrow, the Cabinet will discuss the Cyprus-Crete electricity interconnection project and the agreement in principle reached between Athens and Nicosia last Monday. The Cabinet's brief delay in making a decision has also pushed back the decisions by RAEK (Cyprus Energy Regulatory Authority) until next Friday, to avoid complications with the construction contract for the cable by French company NEXANS.
According to information available as of Wednesday afternoon, the Cabinet was expected to resolve the issue at its meeting today, a decision that other involved parties claimed had been agreed upon earlier this week. However, apart from moving the discussion to tomorrow's agenda, no additional details were provided as to why the Cabinet postponed addressing the power cable matter. The government, through its spokesperson, indicated that more information was needed to ensure a decision that would not burden consumers. Meanwhile, there are reports in Nicosia of new obstacles that could prevent RAEK from finalizing its decision by next Friday.
In Athens, this development has caused frustration. Following the agreement in principle, Athens has been closely monitoring the implementation to ensure that ADMIE (Independent Power Transmission Operator of Greece) could give the green light to NEXANS for the electric cable next Friday. However, there is concern in the Greek capital that the set timelines may not be met. Some reports suggest that the Project Implementing Agency is preparing for the worst-case scenario—the potential collapse of the energy project—due to what is now seen as a significant issue of trust in the entire process.
[This article was translated from its Greek original]
