Investigations of the route for the power cable

The Swedish company MMT announced yesterday that it is nearing the end of detailed research on the planned route of the submarine energy cable that will connect Italy and Montenegro. The research is carried out under the contract of the Norwegian company Nexans, which is responsible for the procurement and installation of the high-voltage direct current (HVDC) cable between the two countries. The survey is conducted from the 56-meter dedicated ROV vessel "Franklin", from which extensive geophysical samples can be obtained from shallow and deep waters. According to the original plan, the Italian Tema invests 760 million euros in the construction of the cable, and the Montenegrin transmission (CGES), of which Terna is a shareholder, another 100 million in the renovation of the existing network. For that, get 20 percent of the capacity and revenue on the cable. The Government of Montenegro provides guarantees to the majority state CGES, which Terna manages, for loans for that project. The start of construction was delayed because the Italians were harmonizing the new underwater route with Croatia, since the neighbors did not allow the original one. This will increase the costs of the energy connection between Montenegro and Italy. The cable should be completed in mid-2016, but the deadline will be exceeded. Italy's intention is to import electricity from the Balkan countries through the cable.