The energy ministry has forwarded a two-year extension request to the European Commission for its Cretan electricity market model.

Brussels had approved the model until the end of 2023, but the ministry now needs an extension until the end of 2025 as a result of delays in the development of the Crete-Athens grid link. Its delay has been attributed to licensing delays and pandemic-related restrictions.

The project’s delays have made it necessary to extend the current model, which was launched November 1, 2021 to coincide with the commercial launch of the Crete-Peloponnese link, the first segment of the Crete-Athens link.

Greek power grid operator IPTO expects work on the Crete-Athens link to be completed at the end of 2024 and be ready for its commercial launch in mid-2025, following testing.

Power utility PPC plans to withdraw 41 power plants operating on non-interconnected islands by 2028. Nine of these power plants are on Crete. PPC intends to withdraw five of its Cretan power plants, offering a capacity of approximately 60 MW, by 2025.