Egypt, Cyprus sign deal for electricity grid link

Cyprus and Egypt signed on Saturday an agreement to pursue links between the electricity transmission networks of the two countries.

Cyprus’s Energy Minister Natasa Pilides and Egyptian Electricity Minister Mohamed Shaker signed a memorandum of understanding, setting out a framework of cooperation from planning to implementation.

“For Cyprus, this electricity interconnection with Egypt, one of our valued strategic allies in the region, has the potential to constitute a cornerstone of our efforts to transition to a green economy,” Minister Pilides said.

“Fortifying our electricity grids and allowing the further integration of renewables in our respective energy mix, enhancing the security of our energy supply and enabling us to become exporters of energy, are but a few of the tangible benefits,” Pilides added.

Earlier, Greece and Egypt signed last Thursday a similar agreement, which sets the stage for an undersea cable that will transmit power produced by renewables from North Africa to Europe, set to be the first such infrastructure in the Mediterranean.