Crete is now plugged into mainland Greece – thanks to one of the deepest underwater power cables in the world, stretching 335 kilometers beneath the Aegean Sea and diving to depths of over 1,000 meters.

The Ariadne Interconnection, a $1.1 billion project backed by Greece's IPTO and 20 percent owned by China's State Grid, is now live in trial mode. When fully operational this autumn, it will deliver up to 1 gigawatt of high-voltage direct current (HVDC) to the island – enough to finally retire Crete's aging, oil-burning power plants.

"This is a historic project," Crete governor Stavros Arnaoutakis told CGTN. "It protects our environment, supports tourism, and brings real energy security to Crete – something we've waited decades for."

The benefits go far beyond blackout prevention. Officials say the link will slash over 400,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions per year and save millions in fuel costs. 

And thanks to HVDC (high-voltage direct current) technology, which tends to incur less power loss than the more typical alternating current infrastructure, the system is built for stability and scalability – even in peak tourist season.

"This is state-of-the-art technology," Chrysangelos Stamatelos, IPTO project director told CGTN. "It gives us room to expand renewables on the island."

That's exactly what Greece and the EU are counting on. Crete is rich in sun and wind – and the Ariadne link opens the door to exporting up to 2.5 gigawatts of island-generated clean energy to the mainland. That positions Crete as a future energy hub in the Mediterranean, aligned with EU climate goals for 2030.

"Crete's clean energy potential is enormous," Stamatelos added. "With this link, we can finally tap into it—and send it where it's needed."

The project also marks a milestone in EU-China cooperation on green infrastructure. Qi Qu, Deputy CEO of ADMIE from State Grid International, emphasized the importance of global partnerships. 

"State Grid will keep promoting openness and cooperation with partners like IPTO to share expertise and pursue common goals like energy security and low-carbon development," he said.

From climate commitments to geopolitical balance, the Ariadne Interconnection is more than a cable – it's a symbol of deeper collaboration.

And for Crete, the message is clear: the island is no longer on the sidelines – it's at the heart of Europe's clean-energy future.