The Italian Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security has approved Terna’s proposal to build a new 132 kV underground transmission line between the municipalities of Bricherasio and Luserna San Giovanni, located in the Metropolitan City of Turin.
The 7.3-kilometer (4.5-mile) cable project is part of Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), under Mission 2-Component 2-Investment 2.2, and is partially funded by the European Union’s NextGenerationEU program. More than €15 million (US$20.2 million) will be invested in the effort, which aims to modernize infrastructure and improve service reliability in the region.
Once the new underground connection between the Bricherasio delivery substation and the Luserna primary substation—both owned by the local distribution operator—is operational, the existing 7.7-kilometer overhead line will be dismantled. This includes the removal of 26 transmission towers across the Bricherasio, Luserna San Giovanni, Campiglione Fenile, and Bibiana areas, freeing up approximately 23 hectares (about 57 acres) of land.
Terna has initiated the final design phase and site preparations. Construction is expected to begin this summer and take approximately 18 months. The new cable is slated to go into service by June 2026.
The project is part of Terna’s broader Resilience Plan, which focuses on hardening the grid against climate-related risks. By replacing aging overhead infrastructure with underground assets, the new line is expected to improve system reliability, reduce exposure to wind-related outages, and enhance overall grid efficiency and capacity in the region.
