Energy Minister Michael Damianos on Friday told United States Senator Rick Scott of Cyprus’ need for electrical interconnection, with Scott having travelled to the island for meetings with Cypriot officials.
“For Cyprus, as the only European Union member state without an electricity interconnection, lifting energy isolation is a strategic priority. In this context, we underlined the importance of the Great Sea Interconnector project for the security of energy supply and the stability of the wider region,” he said after the meeting.
If completed, the Great Sea Interconnector will link the energy grids of Cyprus, Greece and Israel.
Away from the matter of the interconnector, Damianos said that he and Scott had “discussed the potential for developing the natural resources of the eastern Mediterranean and the importance of regional connectivity”.
“The activity of American energy companies in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Republic of Cyprus, with Chevron in the Aphrodite field and ExxonMobil in the Glafcos and Pegasus fields, is an important area of cooperation between the two countries and contributes to the exploitation of Cypriot natural gas fields,” he said.
Additionally, he said that he and Scott had “placed particular emphasis on the ‘3+1’ cooperation scheme between Cyprus, Greece, Israel, and the United States”, saying that the format of discussions “can contribute substantially to regional energy security, the protection of critical infrastructure, and the development of reliable energy corridors to Europe”.
“Cyprus actively supports the scheme, with the aim of promoting joint initiatives and projects, as well as closer coordination between the partners,” he said.
He added that “our goal is to further strengthen cooperation with the United States of America and our regional partners, based on international law, mutual benefit, and the common goal of a safer, more connected, and energy-diversified eastern Mediterranean”.