Three bids expected for 380 mln euro plants in Attica-Crete interconnection

In one of the biggest projects to go ahead in Greece in recent years, three bidders are expected to submit bids on Thursday for the construction of two power conversion plants that will form part of the Attica-Crete grid electricity connector.

Along with international partners, the three bidders have their eye on the tender, worth 380 million euros, that has been extended twice. Mytilineos and General Electric are expected to submit a bid for the project, as is Terna and Siemens. Archirodon and ABB are also interested but are believed to have asked for an extension to the deadline and it appears that Greece's Independent Power Transmission Operator (IPT0), that is overseeing the tender, will stick to the current schedule.

The one billion euro project is being run by Ariadne Interconnection, a special purpose vehicle set up by IPTO to implement the Attica-Crete undersea interconnection. It aims at securing a steady power supply to Crete, the country's biggest island, where power demands have increased in recent years amidst a sharp rise in tourism numbers.

Two power conversion plants will be built as part of the project: one will be in Heraklio, Crete, while the other one will be at Koumoundourou lake, west of Athens. According to the project's time frame, the conversion plants must be ready within 34 months of the deal being signed by the bidders. The whole project is slated for completion by 2022.