FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact, Melissa Brown, mbrown@usea.org

Washington, DC—The United States Energy Association (USEA) today celebrated the European Commission’s decision to grant the Black Sea Submarine Cable project the status of a Project of Mutual Interest (PMI).

“This official recognition marks a critical step forward for a major strategic initiative that will fundamentally reshape the East-West energy landscape,” USEA President & CEO Mark Menezes said, noting that this milestone follows USEA’s 2022 techno-economic analysis of the Georgian and Romanian electricity networks and the completion of a World Bank–funded feasibility study last year. "This cable is more than infrastructure; it is the physical manifestation of Europe's strategic pivot toward diversification and resilience, creating a non-Russian corridor that is unassailable."

The project will interconnect the Georgian and Romanian power systems and enable the transfer of up to 1,300 MW from the Southern Caucasus to Europe through a 1,155-km submarine cable across the Black Sea. PMI status strengthens political coordination among EU member and non-member states and serves as a prerequisite for seeking support from the Connecting Europe Facility, the EU’s investment instrument for advancing strategic infrastructure, economic growth, and competitiveness.

“As Eastern Europe and the Southern Caucasus work to bolster their energy security, USEA congratulates the sponsors of the Black Sea Submarine Cable project on its designation as a Project of Mutual Interest (PMI) by the European Commission,” USEA Senior Program Director Will Polen added. “USEA is proud to have supported the analytical groundwork for a project that now stands to transform regional energy security and connectivity.”