Greece’s Independent Power Transmission Operator ADMIE denied claims that it has launched a legal battle over Cyprus’s contribution to the Great Sea Interconnector, dismissing reports of an €82 million demand as inaccurate and unfounded.
In a statement issued on Sunday, ADMIE categorically refuted a report published by Cyprus' newspaper Philenews, which alleged that the operator had sent a “bombshell letter” to the Cyprus Energy Regulatory Authority (CERA) and was preparing to take legal action. The report also claimed that ADMIE was seeking an immediate payment of €82 million from Cyprus.
ADMIE firmly rejected this, clarifying that it “recognises and seeks only the first instalment of €25 million,” as previously agreed. The reported €82 million demand was described as “arbitrary and unverified.”
Objection filed over project cost allocation
The company confirmed that it has formally submitted an objection, within the designated deadlines, to CERA’s decision of 31 July 2025. That decision recognised just €82 million as Cyprus’s share of the total expenditure for the Great Sea Interconnector project.
ADMIE claims the verified investment costs to date total around €302 million, of which €251 million relates directly to the subsea cable component of the project.
ADMIE also clarified that the €25 million scheduled for 2025 is considered a partial advance against the project’s actual revenues, but said it is requesting that CERA recognise the full investment amount to date, even if recovery occurs after the project becomes operational.
“All necessary documentation has been submitted along with our objection and should be taken into consideration,” the company stated.
The Great Sea Interconnector aims to connect the electricity grids of Cyprus, Greece and Israel via a subsea cable, providing Cyprus with its first link to the European energy network.
Government on the defensive
Asked by reporters earlier in the day to comment, President Nikos Christodoulides said he had heard of the matter through the news report.
Stressing blackmailing would not be tolerated, he said “if the head of ADMIE thinks that such letters or paid publications can intimidate the Cypriot government, then clearly he does not know who he is dealing with."
The government “is here solely to serve the interests of the Cypriot people.”
“The Cypriot government is not subject to blackmail by any head of ADMIE,” he specified.