• Egypt, Greece sign studies for 3,000-MW GREGY power link
• Project to export green energy via 950-km subsea cable
• Part of EU-backed plan to connect Africa-Europe electricity grids

Egypt and Greece advanced plans for a major green energy link on Monday, signing technical and economic studies for the GREGY interconnector project, according to the Egyptian Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy.

The deal was signed remotely by Egypt’s Energy Minister Mahmoud Essmat and his Greek counterpart Thanos Papastavrou. The project, led by Greek group Copelouzos (through subsidiary Elica Interconnector) and IPTO in partnership with the Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company, will lay a 950-km subsea cable with a 3,000-MW capacity to carry renewable electricity from Egypt to Europe via Greece.

The European Union has listed GREGY as a Project of Mutual Interest, and in April the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) awarded a grant to support preliminary studies. Copelouzos has also launched tenders for technical and economic analysis and teamed up with Infinity Power to develop upstream solar and wind farms in Egypt.

The initiative is part of a wider Euro-Mediterranean effort to link African and European power grids. In Tunisia, the ELMED interconnector with Italy is progressing after Prysmian, the Italian cable maker, secured a €460 million contract to build a 220-km line between Sicily and Cap Bon with 600-MW capacity.

While GREGY is larger in scope, both projects aim to position North Africa as a green electricity hub for Europe. For African states, the links promise investment and stronger domestic grids. For Europe, they offer a response to the energy crunch and a step toward decarbonization.

Access to electricity in North Africa is nearly universal, enabling export potential based on vast renewable resources — a stark contrast to Sub-Saharan Africa, where more than 500 million people remain without power, according to the World Bank.

Abdoullah Diop