🇬🇱 Greenland receives DKK 25 million from the EU for new land-based submarine cable infrastructure

Last year, Greenland was awarded 50% and up to DKK 66 million for a seabed survey, which at the time of writing is still ongoing to explore the possibility of establishing an important additional submarine cable that will connect several towns along the west coast of Greenland. Tusass is now awarded 25 mio.kr. more in co-financing for the next step in connection with the construction of the domestic submarine cable section of Tusass Connect 2. This will create redundancy between the southern and northern parts of Greenland.

This is not funding for a completely new submarine cable, but it is a small step in the right direction. Because when a submarine cable is to be installed, the seabed must first be examined. Then we also need to build the land-based infrastructure.

Ulrik Blidorf, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Tusass, emphasizes that

–          A new submarine cable is extremely important not only for Tusass, but to strengthen the vulnerable digital infrastructure throughout Greenland. A submarine cable is also a big investment and very expensive. At the same time, we cannot do without a submarine cable if we are to live the way we do. We live in a time when it is extremely important to increase security of supply and strengthen the vulnerable digital infrastructure. This co-financing from the EU now allows Tusass to take another step forward in this endeavor. Now, we can start preparing the land-based infrastructure that needs to be put in place prior to being able to build a new submarine cable.

The Chairman of the Board concludes by thanking Tusass employees for their great efforts in connection with the project and Naalakkersuisoq for Infrastructure Hans Peter Poulsen thanks both Tusass and the EU for making this possible:

It is great that Tusass and the EU have established such a good cooperation, which can create new opportunities for citizens along the entire west coast of Greenland. The vulnerable critical infrastructure in Greenland is essential for the future, and necessary for us to create new roads in and out of Greenland. Investment and partnerships for this is necessary to drive progress across the Atlantic. It is therefore very positive that the EU is showing interest in new investments in Greenland, and we can create better direct relations between Greenland and the EU.
–          Securing critical infrastructure across the country is crucial, and it is a prerequisite for developing the entire country. Great praise to Tusass for creating these opportunities in this country.

About the EU’s CEF-2 Digital and SDFI

The Greenlandic telecommunications infrastructure project Tusass Connect 2 has once again received millions of kroner from the EU in the second application round of CEF-2 Digital.

The European Commission has awarded Tusass A/S DKK 25 million in co-financing for the next step in connection with the establishment of the domestic submarine cable section of Tusass Connect, which will create redundancy between the southern and northern parts of Greenland, thereby increasing security of supply and strengthening the digital infrastructure in Greenland. Specifically, Tusass A/S will use the funds to establish land-based infrastructure prior to the later establishment of a redundant submarine cable line between the towns of Qaqortoq in the south and the town of Aasiaat/Disko Bay in the north. The seabed survey will, among other things, assess where it will be possible to build a new submarine cable. Tusass will announce more about this when the results of the seabed survey are available in the first quarter of 2024.

In 2022, Tusass A/S was awarded 50% funding for the seabed survey and up to EUR 8,845,988 in support under CEF-2 Digital for feasibility studies for the submarine cable section.

The Connecting Europe Facility (CEF-2 Digital) is the European Commission’s flagship program for the digital sector. The CEF-2 Digital program allocates funds to projects that secures European data infrastructure across countries. In Denmark, the Danish Agency for Data Supply and Infrastructure (SDFI) is responsible for guidance on CEF-2 Digital.

Originally published on 15 December by Tusass.

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