Under €28M Contract, NextGeo to Survey Cable Route for New Italian Interconnection

Why It Matters

The interconnector will alleviate regional transmission bottlenecks, enabling greater renewable integration and more efficient power trading across Italy’s north‑south corridor.

Key Takeaways

• NextGeo leads 84% stake consortium for Italy’s new HVDC link.
• Contract worth over €28 M (~$31 M) for marine survey and environmental studies.
• 280 km submarine cable will connect Milan to Montalto, enhancing north‑south power flow.
• Surveys will map seabed morphology, sediment and benthic ecosystems before construction.

Pulse Analysis

Italy’s electricity market has long grappled with a north‑south transmission gap, where the industrialized north generates surplus power while the south relies heavily on imports. Terna’s Hypergrid initiative seeks to bridge this divide by deploying high‑capacity HVDC links that can transport electricity over long distances with minimal losses. The upcoming Milan‑Montalto interconnector, spanning roughly 280 km of seabed, is a cornerstone of this strategy, promising to unlock new trade pathways and support the country’s renewable energy targets.

The €28 million contract awarded to Next Geosolutions underscores the technical and environmental rigor required for offshore infrastructure. As the lead partner of an 84%‑owned consortium, NextGeo will coordinate a fleet of survey vessels to capture high‑resolution data on seabed morphology, stratigraphy, sediment composition and the health of phyto‑zoobenthic communities. This information is critical not only for optimal cable routing but also for complying with EU marine‑environment directives, ensuring that the project proceeds with minimal ecological disruption.

Beyond the engineering feat, the interconnector is poised to reshape Italy’s power market dynamics. By facilitating smoother north‑south energy flows, it will reduce congestion costs, lower wholesale price differentials, and enhance grid resilience against supply shocks. The project also aligns with broader European goals of decarbonisation, as increased transmission capacity enables greater uptake of offshore wind and solar generation. In the longer term, the infrastructure could serve as a template for similar cross‑regional links across the continent, bolstering the integrated European energy market.