The planned infrastructure will link the Albanian port of Vlore with Puglia in southern Italy. Credit: ioda via Shutterstock.

Italy, Albania and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have signed a cooperation deal valued at a minimum of €1bn ($1.02bn) to establish a subsea interconnection to import renewable energy across the Adriatic Sea, as reported by Reuters.

The agreement falls under the Tripartite Strategic Partnership Framework and aims to bolster existing energy infrastructure and renewable energy capacity within the Mediterranean region.

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Described by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in April 2024 at the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi as a “… strategic infrastructure, which we aim to strengthen and make even more efficient and competitive,” the power interconnection will stretch 430km along the Adriatic seabed, linking Italy to Montenegro and the Balkan region.

The partnership includes Italian grid operator Terna and the UAE’s National Energy Company (Taqa), as announced by Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama.

Rama stated that the planned infrastructure would link the Albanian port of Vlore with Puglia in southern Italy, the closest point between the two nations.

Its completion is anticipated by 2028.

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Albania’s Deputy Prime Minister and Infrastructure and Energy Minister Belinda Balluku expressed the significance of this venture for Albania, stating that the project will enable the country to market locally generated renewable energy.

She emphasised Albania’s progress in diversifying renewable energy sources, adding 500MW of capacity since 2022.

The project complements initiatives such as a World Bank and European Union co-financed project for a 220km, 600MW high-voltage direct current cable aimed at enhancing power flow capacity in the Mediterranean. These initiatives include the construction of the Elmed power interconnection between Italy and Tunisia.

.Italy’s Ministry of Environment and Energy Security authorised Terna’s 1GW Adriatic Link subsea power line, which will connect the Italian regions of Le Marche and Abruzzo, in February 2024.