Terna began authorization procedures for a new electricity connection between Torre Annunziata and Capri, Italy, representing the first segment of the new “electricity ring” that will connect the islands of Capri, Ischia and Procida with the mainland through a system of submarine cables. Within the end of 2010 authorization procedures will begin for the other segments forming the ring.”

For the “Torre A. – Capri” electricity line, the completion of authorization procedures and consequent opening of building sites is scheduled for the first half of 2011. The entrance into operation of the power line is expected within 2013. In line with the Development Plan, investments will total approximately 45.5 million euros; the estimated total for the entire ring amounts to 130-140 million euros.

The project is shared with the Regional Authorities, the Provincial Authorities of Naples and the two municipalities involved and includes building an AC 150 kV cable power line 30 km in length (29 of which submarine and one on land) that will connect the present substation in Torre Annunziata with a new substation in Capri that will be located at the Ecological Island in Gasto. The power line will then be connected to the local distribution grid. The submarine cable will reach a maximum depth of 120 m; the power line’s land segment was designed to cross most of the road routes or land areas that are not in use, thus avoiding areas intended for urban development.

The “electricity ring” will lead to the following advantages for the islands in Campania:

• Increasing the electricity service’s safety, continuity and quality;
• Reducing electricity costs for companies and the community thanks to the system’s greater efficiency for a value of approximately 15 million euros a year;
• Greater reliability for the electricity system reducing non supplied electricity for 13 million kWh/year;
• Reducing CO2 emissions into the atmosphere for 127,000 tons /year.

Development measures are necessary principally owing to the unreliability of the electricity production systems presently in use (generally supplied with fuel oil) and owing to the lack of a direct connection with the mainland grid; both these factors increase the risk of black outs, particularly during the summer months, consequently reducing the electricity service’s quality.

The new “Torre Annunziata-Capri” electricity connection and more generally, the entire “electricity ring” connecting the islands in Campania is part of the submarine electricity “bridges” projects that Terna has scheduled for strengthening the islands’ grid and the electricity interconnection with foreign countries. Among these, the SA.PE.I. connection between Sardinia and the mainland that will be completed within the end of the year; the new “Sorgente-Rizziconi” power line between Sicily and Calabria, whose submarine segment is presently under construction; the Villanova-Tivat” connection between Italy and Montenegro, under authorization, and the connection between Italy and Tunisia which is also under authorization.