The linking of Cycladic Islands to the mainland’s electricity network will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on Syros island at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, the Environment and Energy ministry announced on Friday.

The inauguration of the project will take place at the substation of the Independent Power Transmission Operator (ADMIE) in the Lazaretta section of Syros proper.

According to the ministry, the project will provide reliable and adequate power to the islands especially during the summer, when demand hits a spike due to tourism. It will also reduce the carbon footprint of oil-run power stations on the islands. Additionally, the ministry said, it will lower household bills throughout Greece by reducing the fees collected against the cost of non-connected islands.

The project will be implemented gradually. As Environment Minister George Stathakis stated on Tuesday, initially the islands of Syros, Paros, Mykonos and Tinos will be connected by underwater cable from Lavrio.

Savings from the first year of operation will amount to close to 80 million euros. The project’s budget totals 245 million euros, jointly funded by Greece and the European Union, with funding support from the European Investment Bank.

Source: thegreekobserver