Nicosia, Cyprus. New turbines ordered for the Dhekelia power plant may not arrive until 2030, officials of the Electricity Authority of Cyprus (EAC) told MPs on Monday.
Contract and revised delivery timeline
EAC board chairman Giorgos Petrou said a €140 million contract for three turbines was awarded to Siemens following a tender. He said the initial delivery timeline was two-and-a-half years from the present day, placing delivery in mid-2028, but Siemens notified the EAC two weeks ago that it would take four years to deliver.
Petrou said the EAC had planned to offer Siemens incentives for each month earlier than two-and-a-half years, but that the company is now seeking four years.
Reasons for delay and next steps
Petrou attributed the delay to international demand for turbines, citing demand for power by data centres in the United States. He said the EAC has discussed the matter with the energy minister and would assess the manufacturer’s demand, without ruling out cancelling the purchase of the Siemens turbines.
Dhekelia capacity and decommissioning timeline
Petrou said some existing turbines at Dhekelia, which run on mazut, will need to be decommissioned by 2029. He said that unless they are replaced by then, there could be a deficit in power production, while expressing hope that natural gas would start being used for energy generation by 2029.
The new machines are intended to boost capacity at the outdated Dhekelia plant and complement current turbines that are approximately 40 years old.
How do you think a possible delay or cancellation could affect Cyprus’s power production plans through 2029?
