LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – A marine survey for the second interconnector between Malta and Sicily is being carried out by the Italian company Fugro S.p.A., as a 60 metre long vessel ‘Urbano Montì has set sail from the port of Valletta. The vessel is analyzing 600 metre corridors in the proposed route which extends about 100 kilometres from Bahar Ic-Caghaq to Marina di Ragusa. The maximum depth that will be reached is 160 meters.
This study is considered crucial for the construction of the best and safest route for the second interconnector on the seabed. It will also provide the necessary information on how the interconnector will be installed with the best protection systems. Interconnect Malta designed the preliminary route to avoid areas of ecological importance as well as bunkering, aquaculture, tourist, fishing and trawling areas as well as other restricted areas. This route also ensured that this cable would be as far as possible from the first interconnector. This interconnector has been used since 2015 as the first undersea electricity cable between the two countries. The survey works close to the shore in Sicily started last week using a smaller vessel, while the survey works in Ba?ar ic-Cag?aq will start shortly, the offshore survey will continue until mid-October. The contractor will then be able to analyze the data and complete the necessary reports. Interconnect Malta has recently issued other public calls for tenders, which include the front-end engineering design for this project and for the environmental impact assessments. These are necessary to obtain the development permits from the Maltese and Italian authorties. The second interconnector will increase the security of supply for today’s and future energy demand and will also provide the necessary capacity reserve to deal with intermittency in energy production with renewable sources. As a result, it will help Malta reach the country’s environmental goals to curb climate change.
– credit photo agenziafotogramma.it –
