Terna's Elba-mainland electricity connection has come into operation

Rome, 4 Sept. (Adnkronos) – Terna’s 132 kV submarine cable electricity connection between the Island of Elba and Piombino (Livorno) has come into operation. The work, of fundamental importance for the entire national electricity system, confirms the strategic role that the company led by Giuseppina Di Foggia plays in the country’s energy transition process. The power line has a total length of approximately 37 km, of which 34 under water and 3 completely underground. This is a fundamental infrastructure, which will lead to doubling the connection lines between the national electricity system and the island’s grid. “The new connection between the Island of Elba and Tuscany is of particular importance for many reasons. First of all, thanks to a 90 million euro investment by Terna, it significantly improves the security and reliability of the island’s electricity grid. The project was also carried out following the highest standards of sustainability: the connection is in fact invisible and advanced technologies were used for its installation capable of protecting the important marine biodiversity of the area”, commented Giuseppina Di Foggia, Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of Terna. The submarine cable was laid by Prysmian’s Leonardo Da Vinci vessel at a maximum depth of approximately 70 meters below sea level, starting from the island landing place of Portoferraio and proceeding towards the mainland coast of Piombino. The company that manages the national electricity transmission grid has protected the marine habitat present in the area. In fact, in the months preceding the start of cable laying activities, around 53,000 cuttings of Posidonia oceanica were repositioned in the Gulf of Follonica, an aquatic plant typical of the Mediterranean Sea which plays a fundamental role for the entire marine ecosystem, for a total of 1650 m² of habitat. Furthermore, the landings of the cable were made using the controlled horizontal drilling (TOC) technique, which allows, on the one hand, to install the pipe by limiting the interference with the aquatic plants, canceling the impact of the works on the coast and, on the other, to ensure the necessary mechanical protection of the electrical connection.