Minister seeks EU protection of vital energy infrastructure from interference

Energy, Commerce and Industry Minister George Papanastasiou has called on EU member states and the European Commission to cooperate in order to protect vital energy infrastructure from interference, both those which are in operation and those under construction, making a specific reference to the electric interconnection between Greece, Cyprus and Israel known as the 'Great Sea Interconnector.'

According to an Energy Ministry press release, Papanastasiou was speaking on Tuesday, 13 May during a meeting with the group 'Friends of Renewable Energy Sources', which took place on the sidelines of an informal EU Council in Warsaw, in the framework of the Polish EU Council Presidency. 

During the informal Council meeting, EU Ministers "discussed the current situation in Ukraine's and the Republic of Moldova's energy sector, as well as accelerating the legal harmonization of the two countries with the EU energy acquis." 

Papanastasiou "underlined the need to enhance the European energy system and its resilience, stressing the crucial role electric interconnections play," the press release said.

During the discussion on enhancing EU energy security, the Cypriot Minister referred to regulations for the production of zero emission technologies, the crucial raw materials and the projects of common European interest as key steps in achieving the Union's energy and climate goals, it is added. 

Papanastasiou also referred to the role of electricity interconnections in lifting the energy isolation of Cyprus and creating a competitive electricity market.  

He further focused on the "need to ensuring approachable energy prices for end consumers and expressed his concern over the way of determining the price of electric energy from renewable sources on the basis of the price of conventional electricity production."

On the sidelines of the informal Council, the press release continues, Papanastasiou took part in a meeting of the group "Renewable Energy Sources Friends", during which the role of RES in the way the single European electric energy market operates and likely solutions in the challenges it faces, were discussed.

"Papanastasiou referred to the role of RES systems in combination to storage systems as well as for the need for more investments in transmission and distribution networks," the Ministry said.

At the same time, the press release concludes, "he called on member states and the European Commission to cooperate in order to protect vital energy infrastructure from interference, both those which are in operation and those under construction, making a special reference to the electricity interconnection between Greece, Cyprus and Israel, 'Great Sea Interconnector'."

(Source: CNA)