BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 2. The European Union (EU) has included the Black Sea Interconnection Cable project, which envisages laying a green corridor from Azerbaijan to Europe, Trend reports via the European Commission.
The Commission has granted 235 cross-border energy projects the status of Projects of Common Interest (PCIs) and Projects of Mutual Interest (PMIs) – the second such list since its launch in 2023. The selected projects will be eligible to apply for EU financing from the Connecting Europe Facility and will benefit from expedited permitting and regulatory processes for swift execution and delivery.
On December 17, 2022, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Romania, and Hungary signed a strategic partnership agreement, which includes plans for the construction of a 1,000 MW submarine energy cable under the Black Sea, spanning 1,195 kilometers. This cable will transmit green electricity generated in Azerbaijan and Georgia to Romania, with further transport to Hungary and the rest of Europe, enhancing Europe’s access to renewable energy from the Caucasus region. Bulgaria has also expressed interest in joining the project.
In September 2024, Romanian transmission system operator Transelectrica, Georgian transmission system operator Georgian State Electrosystem, Azerbaijan’s power utility AzerEnerji, and Hungary’s power utility MVM established a joint firm to install a submarine cable under the Black Sea.