Brussels, 15/07/2016 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 15 July, the EU member states endorsed a European Commission proposal to invest €263 million in nine energy infrastructure projects selected following a call for proposals under the EU funding support programme the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF)
Five of the proposals are in the gas sector (EU support worth €210 million) and four in the electricity sector (EU support worth €53 million). Three of the projects relate to construction works (€236 million) and six to studies (€27 million).
In the gas sector, the European grants will cover the construction of the Balticconnector (EU support €187.5 million), the first gas pipeline linking Estonia to Finland. In the electricity sector, the list includes the construction of a new 100 km electricity line between Dobrudja and Burgas in Bulgaria. EU support for this new power line amounts to €29.9 million.
Furthermore, EU support is given to develop preparatory study for a secure and reliable operation of the Baltic States' power system (EU support €125,010), a study on the gas interconnection at Nea Messimvria in Greece (EU support €243,250). The metering and regulating station will help connect the Greek natural gas transmission system with the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP).
With a total of €800 million available for grants under CEF-Energy in 2016, the second 2016 call for proposals with an indicative budget of €600 million is currently ongoing and will close on 8 November (EUROPE 11584).
Under the Connecting Europe Facility, a total of €5.35 billion was allocated to trans-European energy infrastructure for the period of 2014-2020.
In order to be eligible for a grant, a proposal has to be 'projects of common interest,' revised in November 2015 (EUROPE 11433). There are currently 195 European energy infrastructure projects identified as "projects of common interest". When completed, the projects would each ensure significant benefits for at least two Member States, enhance security of supply and enhance sustainability.
Under the first call for Connecting Europe Facility - energy in 2014, 34 projects were awarded grants of €647 million. In 2015, 35 projects received €366 million in financial support. (Original version in French by Emmanuel Hagry)