The European Union, through its funding programme Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), will invest €150m in 20 cross-European energy infrastructure projects, mainly in Central Eastern, Southern Eastern Europe and the Baltics. 11 of the 20 projects are in the gas sector worth a total of €80m and 9 projects are in the electricity sector worth a total of €70m. 17 projects are studies needed before work can take place (€30m) and 3 are construction works (€120m).
The largest investment amounts will be provided to the gas interconnection between Kedzierzyn (Poland) and Libhost-Hat (Czech Republic) (€62.7m), to the construction of new internal 400 kv overhead transmission line between Maritsa East and Burgas in Bulgaria (€30m) and to the LitPol Link power transmission interconnection between Lithuania and Poland (€27.4m).
The projects are to increase energy security by contributing to the completion of an EU energy market and increasing the integration of renewable energy on the electricity grid. They will also help end the energy isolation of some EU countries from Europe-wide energy networks.