Greece has successfully tested the connection of the Damasta high-voltage substation to Crete’s power grid, marking a key milestone in the Crete-Attica interconnection project.
The test was conducted by Ariadne Interconnection, a subsidiary of the Independent Power Transmission Operator (ADMIE), which is overseeing the project.
The 150-kilovolt (kV) substation, the largest in Crete, features 17 fully digitalized gates and state-of-the-art enclosed technology. It serves as the main connection point between Crete’s electricity network and the interconnection with mainland Greece. The test is part of ongoing system checks and equipment validations at the project’s converter stations on both ends of the link.
The Crete-Attica interconnection, which entered testing in late 2024, is expected to become operational in summer 2025. Once equipment and subsystem trials are completed, full-scale system tests will follow before the link is fully integrated into Greece’s national grid.
The project was carried out by major energy contractors, including Siemens Energy, Nexans, Prysmian and NKT. Submarine cables were installed using the specialized vessels Aurora and Leonardo da Vinci. The interconnection is co-financed by the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) for 2021–2027 and 2014–2020, with up to €535.5 million allocated to reduce costs for Greek consumers.