Overview
- Terna and Tunisia’s STEG awarded Hitachi Energy the roughly €770 million contract on June 25, 2026, to build the two converter stations that complete Elmed’s converter procurement.
- Elmed is a bi-directional high-voltage direct current (HVDC) link of about 220 km with roughly 200 km undersea cable, a 600 MW capacity, and a maximum sea depth near 800 metres along the Strait of Sicily.
- Hitachi Energy will deliver the HVDC system and is responsible for system studies, design and engineering, supply, installation supervision, and commissioning of the Partanna (Italy) and Mlaabi (Tunisia) converter stations.
- Cable work and on-sea installation were previously awarded to Prysmian using the cable-laying vessel Monna Lisa, while D’Agostino and Orascom are set to handle civil and electromechanical works at the onshore stations.
- The €1.42 billion project includes a €307 million EU CEF grant and backing from multilateral lenders, and it is expected to boost renewable integration, cross‑border market links, and energy security between Europe and North Africa as it moves into construction.