Prysmian Secures €630M Adriatic Link Submarine Cable Project from Terna

Prysmian Group has been awarded a new contract worth around €630 million by Terna Rete Italia S.p.A., a company fully owned by Terna S.p.A., the Italian power grid operator (TSO).

The Adriatic Link project includes the design, supply, installation, and commissioning of a HVDC submarine interconnection which will contribute to decarbonize Italy’s energy system, thus reinforcing Italy’s role as the Mediterranean energy hub.

The High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) bipolar cable line will allow a transmission capacity of up to 1,000 MW and will increase the exchange of energy between the central-southern and central-northern areas of Italy, increasing the safety, efficiency, and resilience of the entire national electricity transmission grid. The route, running for a total of approximately 250 km, will be made up of two submarine cables with a length of approximately 210 km across the Adriatic Sea. Prysmian will also provide two underground cables of approximately 40 km connecting each landing point to the regional’s substation.

All submarine cables with XLPE insulation will be produced at the Group’s center of excellence located in Arco Felice, Italy, while the underground cables with P-laser insulation will be manufactured at the center of excellence in Gron, France. The Group has made major investments in Arco Felice to strengthen its production capacity, transforming the plant as a technology hub for submarine power transmission cables in Europe. The installation will be carried out by Prysmian Group’s new record-setting cable-laying vessels, the Leonardo da Vinci and the Monna Lisa. The conclusion of cables laying operations will take place within the first half of 2028.

Cable-laying vessel, the Monna Lisa. (Image credit: Prysmian Group)

“This award confirms the mutual trust and long-standing relationship between Terna and Prysmian Group, as this is the latest of several projects we are working on with the Italian TSO” stated H. Ozmen, EVP Projects BU. “We are proud to have the opportunity to play our role in the development of such a strategic infrastructure for our country, by making available the best “Made in Italy” submarine cable technology, contributing to the enhancement of power transmission in the center of mainland Italy and, in line with the goals set out in the Integrated National Energy and Climate Plan (PNIEC), to further support Italy's role as an electricity hub for Europe and the whole Mediterranean region."

With this important project, Prysmian Group’s Projects BU order intake exceeds €10 billion year to date, including preferred bidder agreements.

The Group has already secured several submarine grid connection projects in the Mediterranean region such as the Tyrrhenian Link, the submarine cable link between Capri and Sorrento, and the submarine cable connection between the island of Elba and the Italian mainland (Piombino).