The development of solar energy continues in Cyprus, but a lack of electricity storage capacity remains one of the main challenges. During daylight hours, power plants and residential solar systems generate more energy than the grid can handle. As a result, some of the electricity generated must be curtailed.
To address this issue, EAC plans to connect five solar power plants in the Tersefanu area of the Larnaca district to the power grid. The project will cost 1.2 million euros.
The connection will require laying new cables and upgrading part of the existing power line. Specifically, the plan is to:
lay approximately 2,532 m of underground cables;
construct a new power transmission line 9,358 meters long;
replace the wires on a 1,852-meter section of the existing line.
The new lines will run along paved and unpaved roads. The work will affect the Tersefanu area, as well as small sections of Claudia and Kalo Chorio.
Two more substations will be built in the Pila area
Bioland has prepared a separate project to connect two solar power plants in the Pila area to the power grid. The project is estimated to cost 360,000 euros.
Both plants have already received planning permits, but construction has not yet begun. Once all necessary permits are obtained, the work to lay the power lines is expected to take about six months.
The solar power plants are not located within Natura 2000 protected areas. The nearest protected area—Lake Oroklini—is located approximately 2.5 km to the southwest. The nearest bird migration corridor is 9,320 m to the east.
Where Energy Storage Systems Will Be Built in Cyprus
Connecting new solar power plants is only part of the job. One of the main challenges facing Cyprus’s energy sector is that during daylight hours, more electricity is generated than the grid can handle. As a result, some of the energy must be curtailed.
Large battery storage systems are intended to solve this problem. They will be able to store excess electricity during the day and feed it back into the grid when demand rises. EAC is preparing several such projects:
Dekelia. The storage system is scheduled to begin operations in September 2027. According to more recent data from EAC, its capacity will be 80 MW, and its energy storage capacity will be 160 MWh. Construction began on February 9, 2026. An earlier report cited figures of 40 MW and between 80 and 160 MWh.
Moni. Plans call for a system with a capacity of 100 MW and an energy storage capacity of 200 MWh. The project is estimated to cost approximately 50 million euros. The permitting process is currently underway.
Vasilikos. The project involves the construction of a system with a capacity of 250 MW and a storage capacity of 640 MWh. The preliminary cost is approximately 118 million euros.
Three Battery Systems for the National Grid
Another project is being implemented by the Cyprus Transmission System Operator (TSOC). It involves the installation of three battery systems with a total capacity of 120 MW and an energy storage capacity of 240 MWh. One of them, with a capacity of 40 MW and an energy storage capacity of 80 MWh, will be installed at the Atalassa substation in Nicosia. Two additional systems, each with a capacity of 40 MW, will be installed at other substations.
The equipment is expected to be delivered in January 2027. Once installed, the systems are scheduled to become fully operational in the summer of 2027. The total cost of the project is 50 million euros. Of this amount, 49 million euros has been allocated by the European Union under the “Thalia” program for 2021–2027.
Last year’s data also confirms the need for such projects: in 2025, Cyprus had to curtail the generation of approximately 306 GWh of solar power. The new battery systems should help store more of this energy and use it when it is actually needed.