Crete Locals

New Heraklion airport at Kastelli begins electrification works after ministry approval

· By CreteLocals Editorial Team
New Heraklion airport at Kastelli begins electrification works after ministry approval

Construction company TERNA has begun electrification works for the new Heraklion airport at Kastelli, after Greece’s Ministry of Infrastructure approved the project. The works form part of the wider infrastructure and interconnection package undertaken by the GEK TERNA construction group on behalf of the concession company “Diethnis Aerolimenas Irakleiou Kritis A.E.” (DAIK), which is building the new airport.

The ministry also approved a state payment to the company, on behalf of the contractor, of €33,115,984.86, covering costs related to utility networks (OKO). Under Article 14.4.1 of the Concession Agreement, these costs are borne by the Greek state. After applying the current revision, provision for unforeseen expenses and VAT, the total amount rises to €46,867,196.85.

How the process was unblocked

According to the ministry’s decision, Greece’s Independent Power Transmission Operator (ADMIE) had earlier stated in writing that it was unable to undertake construction of the interconnection works linking the new airport to the national high-voltage grid (ESMIE). This made it necessary for the state to take the initiative for the required studies and construction work.

The decision states that the interconnection between the new airport and the national grid must be completed within a binding timeframe. It specifies that the state bears the cost of provision by utility organizations (OKO), and that the electrical interconnection works for the new airport are not included in the concession’s Design-Construction section nor among DAIK’s contractual obligations.

The decision also notes that the project’s timeline is particularly tight because of the long lead times needed to procure critical high-voltage materials and equipment. To secure timely reservation and supply of the required materials, the decision provides for an advance payment of 25% of the total cost following the signing of the agreement. Remaining payments will be made in proportion to progress on the works, as certified through ADMIE’s inspection and approval procedures, taking into account the approved schedule, cost allocation and achievement of the project’s set milestones.

Once it acquires ownership of the relevant properties, the Greek state will transfer to ADMIE the property rights needed for construction, installation and operation of the interconnection works. ADMIE will review the studies, supervise the works, carry out technical monitoring of construction and formally accept the completed high-voltage interconnection project, in its role as the body responsible for certifying that the works meet national transmission system technical standards.

The decision further provides for a state payment to DAIK covering the cost of design review and work supervision, so that DAIK can in turn pay ADMIE under their contract. This amount is set at an indicative €1,796,726.12.

Scope of the electrification project

According to the ministry’s decision, the electrification project for the new Kastelli airport includes several stages. These include an underground 150kV transmission network made up of two separate circuits with a combined length of about 14 kilometers (7 kilometers each), and horizontal drilling of roughly 91 meters to pull the underground 150kV cables beneath a highway currently under construction, near the airport’s 150/20kV substation.

The project also includes construction of an overhead 150kV transmission network consisting of two single-circuit lines totaling about 22 kilometers: an approximately 11-kilometer line connecting the “Right System” (Linoperamata–Ierapetra) to the airport substation, and a similarly sized line connecting the “Left System” (Linoperamata–Ierapetra) to the same substation. The existing 150kV/2B Linoperamata–Ierapetra line will also be modified, with the removal of existing pylons LII 100 and LII 101 and their relocation to new positions nearby.

Further works include the construction of 37 foundation sites for a total of 72 new metal pylons for the overhead high-voltage network, covering roughly 108.5 stremmata, along with access routes to the pylon foundation sites spanning about 20.7 kilometers and disturbing an estimated 114.2 stremmata of land.

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