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- Wednesday night’s interruptions appeared to stem from a fault affecting Electricity Authority of Cyprus generators.
- Damianos said Cyprus has over 1,000 megawatts of conventional generation and more than 1,000 megawatts from photovoltaic systems.
- The long-term solution, he said, is energy storage, with a 120MW battery project due before summer 2027.
- The EAC has ordered three new generators, while natural gas at Vasiliko remains the long-term electricity solution.
Cyprus will do everything possible to avoid any further power cuts overnight, Energy Minister Michalis Damianos said on Thursday, expressing confidence that new energy storage systems due to be installed before summer 2027 will prevent similar shortages next year.
Speaking to reporters at the Electricity Authority of Cyprus (EAC) headquarters, the minister said Wednesday night’s electricity interruptions appeared to have been caused by a fault affecting EAC generators.
He noted that Cyprus currently has more than 1,000 megawatts of conventional generation capacity, alongside more than 1,000 megawatts of electricity produced by photovoltaic systems, meaning there is no supply shortage during daylight hours.
Night-time demand remains the main challenge
Damianos said the problem arises during the first hours of the night, when temperatures remain high but solar generation is no longer available.
He explained that the long-term solution is energy storage, allowing excess solar power generated during the day to be used after sunset. The Transmission System Operator has already awarded a contract for 120 megawatts of battery storage, which is expected to arrive in Cyprus in January 2027 and be fully installed before next summer.
According to the minister, these storage facilities should eliminate the current summer electricity shortages.
Public urged to be patient
Damianos praised EAC staff for working tirelessly to minimise the impact of the outages.
“The public is understandably inconvenienced and should not have to be,” he said, adding that the problem should have been addressed earlier but authorities are working to resolve it.
Asked whether further power cuts could occur, the minister said he could not predict whether additional technical faults would arise, stressing that the system operator manages the network to ensure any disruptions remain as brief as possible.
With high temperatures continuing on Thursday before easing on Friday, he said authorities would make every possible effort to avoid any overnight interruptions.
Storage and natural gas central to energy strategy
Damianos said responsibility for informing the public about planned outages lies with the EAC.
He added that, alongside the 120MW public storage project, private operators have been authorised to develop up to 150MW of energy storage capacity, with part of that expected to be operational before next summer.
The EAC is also investing in its own storage facilities, which the minister believes will significantly improve Cyprus’ electricity security.
New generators and natural gas planned
Responding to questions about ageing generating units, Damianos said the EAC has already ordered three new generators. Two are expected to arrive in 2028, with the third scheduled for 2029, replacing older units at the Dhekelia power station.
He added that the arrival of natural gas at the Vasiliko energy centre remains the long-term solution for Cyprus’ electricity system.
According to the minister, natural gas will provide cleaner and cheaper electricity generation, with the Vasiliko project expected to be completed before 2030, when the ageing EAC generating units are due to be retired.
He said the combination of natural gas, new generators and expanded energy storage forms the government’s strategy to ensure Cyprus’ future energy security.
Also read: Soaring temperatures expose ageing power generators
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