French boost for project to link power grids of Greece and Cyprus - KATHIMERINI

05.08.2026 • 17:32

The bid to link the power grids of Greece and Cyprus received a new boost Wednesday with French investment group Meridiam joining the Great Sea Interconnector project as a majority stakeholder, in an agreement with a strong financial and geopolitical footprint.

The deal signed at the Greek prime minister’s Athens office, in the presence of Kyriakos Mitsotakis, opens a new chapter in one of the biggest and most complex energy projects in the eastern Mediterranean Sea.

Mitsotakis hailed the agreement as “an important step forward” for the GSI, which he called “a project of strategic importance for Greece and Cyprus but also for Europe as a whole.”

“It will help essentially end Cyprus ‘s energy isolation,” Mitsotakis said.

Chevron awarded four offshore leases for Greece exploration blocks - CHEVRON

Supports strategy to enhance exploration portfolio and efforts in Mediterranean region

HOUSTON, February 16, 2026 - Chevron Corporation (NYSE: CVX), via its four Dutch subsidiaries, together with HELLENiQ ENERGY has today signed Lease Agreements with the Hellenic Republic which will enable exploration of four blocks offshore Greece.

The blocks are located south of Crete (South Crete 1, South Crete 2) and within the Peloponnese (South of Peloponnese, and Block A2). The awarded consortium, in which Chevron holds a 70% operating interest and HELLENiQ ENERGY a 30% interest, was selected following an international call for tender launched by the Greek government in 2025.

"This is another important milestone for Chevron as we continue building momentum in the Mediterranean region, an area where we already have a significant position and are actively pursuing exploration opportunities to further strengthen and expand our portfolio," said Kevin Mclachlan, Vice President of Exploration at Chevron.

Chevron to begin hydrocarbon drilling in 2026 - KATHIMERINI

01.04.2025 • 23:36

US energy giant Chevron is set to launch its first exploratory drilling for hydrocarbons south of Crete in 2026, Environment and Energy Minister Stavros Papastavrou said on Monday.

“This depends on the company’s scheduling, but I believe that if we move forward with the procedures within the year, we will see the first drilling in 2026,” the minister said on Action24 TV.

Papastavrou discussed energy cooperation with US Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, who also chairs the National Energy Dominance Council. Their talks focused on Greece-US strategic ties and recent developments in energy projects, including Chevron’s interest in offshore blocks “South Crete I” and “South Crete II.”

Egypt Moves Forward with Greece Electricity Interconnection Project, Eyes €1 Billion in Funding - SEE (SADA ELBALAD ENGLISH)

Sun 02 Mar 2025 | 09:32 AM
Ahmed Emam

Egypt is set to begin implementing its electricity interconnection project with Greece before the end of the second half of this year, according to government sources.

The project, classified as a priority initiative within the European Union, is expected to receive a €1 billion grant and concessional financing.

Sources told Al Arabiya Business that three European financial institutions have expressed interest in funding the joint Egypt-Greece electricity transmission project. Further discussions on the financing arrangements are scheduled for next month.

During a meeting last week with Egyptian Minister of Electricity Mahmoud Esmat, representatives from the Greek energy group Copelouzos presented their proposed mechanisms for the project. They also recommended that the exchanged electricity be generated from renewable energy sources.

Egypt, Cyprus, Greece leaders agree to develop joint energy projects at Cairo trilateral summit - EGYPT TODAY

Wed, 08 Jan 2025 - 02:41 GMT

CAIRO – 8 January 2025: Leaders of Egypt, Cyprus and Greece have agreed on the necessity to develop joint energy projects as they held the 10th trilateral cooperation mechanism summit in Cairo on Wednesday.

“The energy file was strongly present in our talks today,” President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi said in a joint press conference with Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and President Nikos Christodoulides of Cyprus following their meeting.

Sisi said they agreed on the need for developing joint projects in renewable energy, electrical interconnection, natural gas transportation, and power linkage infrastructure enhancement.

These projects aim to achieve regional integration in this sector and effectively ensure international energy security, which has suffered turbulence amidst latest global crises, the Egyptian president added.

Cyprus approves electricity cable to link its power grid with Greece’s - AP

Updated 9:10 PM GMT+3, September 17, 2024
By MENELAOS HADJICOSTIS

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Cyprus has given the green light for construction of a 1.9 billion euro ($2.1 billion) undersea electricity cable linking its grid with Greece’s, aiming to sharply reduce electricity bills and end its energy isolation, the country’s energy minister said Tuesday.

Minister George Papanastasiou said the significance of the project is underscored by the European Union’s decision to fund it with the sum of 657 million euros ($735 million).

He said the Cypriot government will contribute 25 million euro ($27.8 million) annually over the five-year period of the 1,000 MW cable’s construction so that Cypriot taxpayers won’t see any hike to their electricity bills as part of their 63% share of building costs.

The total 125 million euro sum will be raised from revenues generated from the EU’s emission trading system.

Why Greece Is Betting Big on American Gas - THE NEW YORK TIMES

May 31, 2024
Max Bearak

When a withering financial crisis forced Greece to rethink its economy a decade ago, it bet big on green power​. Since then, Greece’s energy transition has been so swift “it almost feels utopian​,”​ one Greek environmentalist said.

​Mountainous ridgelines and arid islands ​are covered in wind turbines and solar panels​ that ​today provide nearly two-thirds of the nation’s electricity.​​​

But ​now Greece​ is deliberately pivoting back toward fossil fuels, just not to burn at home. This time it’s betting that it can become one of Europe’s main suppliers of natural gas, with much of it shipped from the United States.

Both Greek and European Union subsidies have funded new pipelines that crisscross the country and connect to a brand-new import terminal that will send gas to a broad swath of Central and Eastern Europe for decades to come.

Israel-Greece-Cyprus energy deal ‘top priority’ this year - JNS

March 28, 2024 / JNS
Etgar Lefkovits 

The three allies plan to link their electrical grids and cooperate on natural gas.

Finalizing a major energy deal that includes connecting the power grids of Israel, Greece and Cyprus and a possible future regional natural gas pipeline linking the eastern Mediterranean allies is a “top priority” for 2024, the Israeli and Cypriot energy ministers said on Wednesday.

The long-awaited accord, which was stalled by the nearly six-month-old war with Hamas in Gaza, will not include Turkey. Ankara has reemerged as one of Israel’s bitterest critics in the wake of the Israeli military campaign triggered by the Oct. 7 terrorist invasion.

The expected agreement comes amid burgeoning relations with both Cyprus and Greece, which have maintained support for Israel throughout the war, and close ties in a variety of fields including energy, defense, tourism, high-tech and cybersecurity.

“Cyprus is a regional ally, and cooperation in the field of energy holds great potential opportunities for both countries,” Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen said Wednesday as he hosted his Cypriot counterpart to finalize the accord.

Cypriot Minister of Energy, Commerce and Industry George Papanastasiou said, “Cyprus and Israel share a vision for the eastern Mediterranean with the countries looking at energy as a sector that can facilitate peace, stability and prosperity in the region.”

Greece’s first FSRU arrives in Alexandroupolis - LNG PRIME

December 17, 2023

Greece’s first floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) has arrived in Alexandroupolis, where it will soon start serving Gastrade’s LNG import project.

According to its AIS data, the 153,600-cbm Alexandroupolis was on Sunday anchored offshore the Greek port of Alexandroupolis.

Greece’s Gastrade previously said that the FSRU would arrive in the port on December 17 from Singapore.

Last month, the vessel left Seatrium’s yard in Singapore following the completion of the conversion work at the yard.

Gastrade’s shareholder and Greek LNG shipping firm GasLog told Keppel Offshore & Marine, now Seatrium, in February last year to proceed with the conversion of the 2010-built, GasLog Chelsea, to an FSRU.

Electricity cable needs power surge - FINANCIAL MIRROR

16 JULY 2023

With Nicosia hosting the trilateral meeting of heads of state on July 26, Cyprus, Greece, and Israel leaders will meet for the first time – two-re-elected and a newcomer.

Top on their agenda of common challenges will be energy, although cooperation on defence, water and regional conflicts will also be discussed, and relations with Turkey.

As a priority, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu needs help to deal with Israel’s energy deficit, which is expected to hit rock bottom by 2025-2027 due to delays in bringing online new, efficient, and renewables-friendly power stations.

PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis will emphasise that Greece is pushing ahead with its Alexandroupolis energy hub and hopes natural gas flows from the eastern Mediterranean will transform it into a major player, in addition to the solar parks and wind farms mushrooming throughout the country.

Greek gas grid eyes 1-billion euro hydrogen pipeline - REUTERS

July 13, 20236:37 PM GMT+3

ATHENS, July 13 (Reuters) - Greek gas grid operator DESFA wants to build a 1 billion euro ($1.12 billion) hydrogen pipeline that will connect Greece to Bulgaria, as part of a future European southeastern corridor, it said on Thursday.

The scheme, jointly proposed with Bulgaria, has passed an initial technical assessment by the European Commission, making it eligible for inclusion in a European list of projects of common interest, DESFA said in a presentation released on Thursday.

This puts "Greece, Spain and Italy at the same level with respect to the potential for the future role that these Mediterranean countries will play in providing infrastructure for hydrogen," DESFA Chief Executive Maria Rita Galli told a news conference.

INTERVIEW: Greece-Bulgaria gas link to run market tests for capacity expansion in H2 - SEE NEWS

Apr 28, 2023 15:31 EEST
Antonia Kokalova-Gray

SOFIA April 28 (SeeNews) - ICGB, the operator of the Greece-Bulgaria natural gas interconnector (IGB), is planning to launch market tests in the second half of 2023 to gauge potential demand ahead of a planned capacity expansion, chief executive Teodora Georgieva told SeeNews.

ICGB has begun assessing the pipeline's infrastructure readiness to carry hydrogen as well, Georgieva told SeeNews in an interview earlier this month at the Budapest LNG Summit.

In case of sufficient market demand, the expansion of the IGB's capacity to 5 billion cubic metres (bcm) per year from the current 3 bcm/year will also help ensure the flow of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from terminals in Greece - the operational facility at Revithoussa and planned terminals like the one in Alexandroupolis. ICGB is already working on this opportunity with Greek transmission system operator DESFA, according to the chief executive. Building a new compressor station on the Greek side is one of the projects that will advance capacity expansion.

Greece, Cyprus, Israel plan trilateral leaders’ summit - JNS (JEWISH NEWS SYNDICATE)

February 27, 2023 / JNS

Etgar Lefkovits

A summit attended by the leaders of Greece, Cyprus and Israel is planned for later this year, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office announced Monday.

The gathering will take place amid burgeoning relations between Israel and both Cyprus and Greece over the last decade and a half in a variety of fields including tourism, medicine, cybersecurity, energy and military cooperation.

The decision to organize such a regional meeting was made during a Sunday night phone call between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the president-elect of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides.

The two men discussed bilateral cooperation in various fields, a readout of the conversation said.

The Cypriot leader, who will assume office on Tuesday, offered condolences over Sunday’s Palestinian terrorist attack in which two Israeli brothers were killed. He is expected to visit Israel soon at the prime minister’s invitation.

Libyan Court Suspends Controversial Oil And Gas Deal With Turkey - OILPRICE.com

Jan 11, 2023, 2:30 AM CST
Charles Kennedy

A Libyan court has suspended a deal for offshore oil and gas exploration that Libya and Turkey inked last year, a deal that sparked outrage from neighbors Egypt and Greece.

The deal concerned waters that Libya and Turkey have declared to be theirs but that are disputed by Egypt and Greece, Reuters noted in a report on the news that cited an unnamed source. The Libyan government can appeal the ruling, the source also told Reuters.

Greece’s Permanent Representative at the UN, Maria Theofili described the deal as one “violating the sovereign rights of Greece, is a violation of international law and a deliberate escalation that undermines stability in the region.”

Greece can nearly quadruple gas export capacity by 2025 - gas grid operator - REUTERS

November 30, 2022 — 07:30 am EST
Angeliki Koutantou

ATHENS, Nov 30 (Reuters) - Greece is becoming a European gas corridor and can nearly quadruple its gas export capacity to neighbouring countries in the coming years thanks to new infrastructure under development, Maria Rita Galli, the chief executive of the country's gas grid operator DESFA said on Wednesday.

In the wake of the war in Ukraine, Greece has this year more than halved its imports of Russian gas, instead ramping up deliveries of liquefied natural gas (LNG), mainly from the United States and Egypt, to its sole LNG facility at Revithoussa near Athens.

The terminal, which the government has called "indispensible", has also helped export gas to neigbouring nations including Bulgaria, which was cut off from Russian supplies earlier this year after refusing to pay in roubles.

Energy minister: Gas exploration starts off southwest Greece - AP NEWS

10.NOV.2022
ELENA BECATOROS

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece’s energy and environment minister says U.S. energy giant ExxonMobil has begun prospecting for natural gas off the coast of southwestern Greece, kicking off a delayed project as Europe seeks alternative energy sources due to the war in Ukraine.

ExxonMobil’s ship is already in operation in the area, Energy and Environment Minister Kostas Skrekas said on state-run ERT television Thursday, just four days after Greece’s prime minister announced the project was to start. The move comes amid heightened tensions with neighboring Turkey, and is a project that has been heavily criticized by environmental groups.

“The ship has begun. At this moment it is laying the cables” which are needed for the sonic waves used in the prospecting, Skrekas said.

“The reserves we speculate exist southwest of Crete and the Peloponnese might be the last hope the mining industry has to find a large reserve ... in the region of southeastern Europe, in our region,” he said. However, he noted, “until we drill and see what is really there, everything is on the level of speculation.”

Greece signs agreement with Italy on natural gas storage - KATHIMERINI

10.SEPT.2022 • 09:06

Energy Minister Kostas Skrekas said on Friday he signed a memorandum of understanding with his Italian counterpart to have natural gas stored in Italy.

The agreement covers 1.5 TWh (terra watt hours) of natural gas that can be transported to Greece via reverse flows, the minister said, without providing further details.

Greece had been in talks with Italy to see whether it can store gas there as part of efforts to secure supplies if Russian flows are disrupted.

Greece has no gas storage facilities and may need to store enough gas in other states to cover 15% of its annual use in the coming winter.

In a pre-recorded message aired at the 6th Southeast Europe Energy Forum 2022 held in Thessaloniki on Friday, Skrekas said Greece has transformed into a regional hub of both natural gas and green energy.

Bulgaria to double reserve capacity at new Greek LNG terminal - REUTERS

SOFIA, Aug 29 (Reuters) - Bulgaria has reached an agreement in principle to double its reserved capacity at a new liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility to be built off the northern Greek port of Alexandroupolis, the interim energy minister said on Monday.

Rossen Hristov told reporters that raising the reserved capacity to 1 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas per year at the LNG terminal, expected to become operational at the end of 2023, will help the Balkan country ensure diversified and stable gas supplies.

The interim government, which has come under fire at home for seeking to renew gas supplies from Russia’s Gazprom , has said it plans to open tenders for mid to long-term gas deliveries and wanted to import more LNG gas through Greece.

The Alexandroupolis terminal is due to be built by a consortium of Greece’s Copelouzos family, Greek gas companies DEPA and DESFA, Bulgaria’s Bulgartransgaz and Cyprus’s Gaslog.

ExxonMobil asks for 2-year extension to drilling rights - KATHIMERINI

25.AUG.2022 • 22:43
Chryssa Liaggou

Energy multinational ExxonMobil has asked for a two-year extension to the lease of two fields west and southwest of Crete for oil and gas exploration.

The two fields had been leased to France’s Total for three years in October 2019, but it withdrew last April.

ExxonMobil and Greek refiner HELPE have stepped in.

World LNG Summit & Awards to be hosted in Greece - LNG INDUSTRY

Thursday, 28 July 2022 08:56

The 22nd World LNG Summit & Awards will be held in Athens, Greece, for the first time on 29 November - 02 December 2022. The Summit is endorsed by the Ministry of Environment & Energy, Greece, and hosted by DESFA.

The 22nd World LNG Summit & Awards will bring together global LNG leaders from across the value chain to define the critical role of LNG and gas in both energy security and the ongoing drive for decarbonisation. As LNG enters a new frontier, this will be one of the most important conversations yet for the future of the global LNG and gas industry.