Apostolos Tomaras
Comments made by former Energy Minister Giorgos Papanastasiou at the Green Agenda Summit sparked discussion on Thursday, as he openly criticized political and party interference in Cyprus’ energy sector, arguing that it has delayed critical projects and weakened the country’s energy planning.
Papanastasiou said many of the challenges Cyprus faces today in energy are the result of political interventions that have left major projects, including the introduction of natural gas and the island’s planned electricity interconnection with Europe, stuck in limbo.
He argued that energy policy should be treated as a national priority rather than a political battleground, with a stronger role given to technical experts and long-term planning.
“Political forces should not be intervening in energy matters,” Papanastasiou said. “The results we see today are the result of political interference. Energy should be governed through a national strategy, with fewer political interventions and greater reliance on technocrats.”
Three pillars for Cyprus’ energy future
The former minister also stressed the importance of connecting Cyprus to the European electricity grid, warning that a fully functioning energy market cannot exist without the long-discussed electricity cable linking the island to Europe.
He outlined what he described as the three key pillars of Cyprus’ future energy policy.
The first is the arrival of natural gas, which he said remains essential for reducing electricity costs and supporting the transition to cleaner energy.
The second pillar involves more flexible electricity generation units, alongside the expansion of renewable energy supported by large-scale storage systems. He said renewables should operate within a genuinely competitive energy market.
The third pillar is electricity interconnections, which he described as critical for ensuring the country’s long-term energy security.
“Without interconnections, there can be no real energy security,” he said.
Calls for a long-term strategy
Speaking during the same discussion, former Cyprus Energy Regulatory Authority chairman Andreas Poullikkas argued that Cyprus still lacks a clear energy strategy extending to 2050.
He said long-term planning can only succeed if political parties reach broad agreements on key energy policies that remain in place beyond individual governments.
Meanwhile, Electricity Authority of Cyprus Chairman George Petrou said the EAC has already invested €100 million to prepare its infrastructure for the eventual connection of Cyprus to the European electricity network.
Addressing ongoing complaints about restrictions on solar power generation, Petrou said the curtailments are implemented following instructions from the Transmission System Operator. He acknowledged that parts of Cyprus’ electricity transmission network are outdated and also pointed to obstacles that have slowed the rollout of energy storage projects.
The discussion highlighted a growing consensus among energy experts that while Cyprus has made significant progress in renewable energy, major infrastructure projects and long-term planning remain essential if the island is to achieve lower electricity costs, greater energy security and its climate goals.
