A government committee on Monday gave the green light for 12 energy projects with a total budget of 11.5 billion euros to be licensed through the fast-track process.
Meeting under Development Minister Costis Hatzidakis, the Ministerial Committee for Strategic Investments decided to fast-track investments expected to create a total of 17,000 jobs while helping Greece to enhance the security of its energy supply and eventually see it evolving into an energy hub.
The projects include the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) and the ITGI pipeline network to transmit natural gas across northern Greece toward Italy; the interconnection of the grids of Israel, Cyprus and Greece; the Interconnection Greece-Bulgaria project to link the two countries’ gas transmission networks; and a pipeline to carry natural gas from a Cypriot offshore area to the Greek mainland via Crete.
The ministerial meeting also decided to start a process that will lead to the drafting of a special plan for the energy upgrade of The Mall Athens, which will require a presidential decree following the approval of the Council of State, the country’s highest administrative court.