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Estlink

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Estlink 1
Map
Location of Estlink
Location
CountryEstonia, Finland
General directionnorth–south
FromHarku converter station, Estonia 59°23′5″N 24°33′37″E / 59.38472°N 24.56028°E / 59.38472; 24.56028 (Estlink - Harku Static Inverter Plant)
Passes throughGulf of Finland
ToEspoo converter station, Finland 60°12′14″N 24°33′06″E / 60.20389°N 24.55167°E / 60.20389; 24.55167 (Estlink - Espoo Static Inverter Plant)
Ownership information
PartnersElering
Fingrid
Construction information
Manufacturer of conductor/cableABB
Installer of conductor/cableGlobal Marine Systems
Cable layerCS Sovereign
Manufacturer of substationsABB
Installer of substationsABB
Construction started2006
Commissioned2006
Technical information
TypeSubmarine power cable
Type of currentHVDC
Total length105 km (65 mi)
Power rating350 MW
AC voltage330 kV (Estonia), 400 kV (Finland)
DC voltage±150 kV
No. of poles2
Estlink 2
Map
Location of Estlink 2
Location
CountryEstonia, Finland
General directionsouth–north–south
FromPüssi converter station, Estonia 59°22′02″N 27°03′50″E / 59.36722°N 27.06389°E / 59.36722; 27.06389 (Estlink 2 - Püssi Static Inverter Plant)
Passes throughGulf of Finland
ToAnttila converter station, Finland 60°22′36″N 25°22′01″E / 60.37667°N 25.36694°E / 60.37667; 25.36694 (Estlink 2 - Anttila Static Inverter Plant)
Ownership information
PartnersElering
Fingrid
Construction information
Manufacturer of conductor/cableNexans
Installer of conductor/cableNexans
Cable layerC/S Nexans Skagerrak
Manufacturer of substationsSiemens
Installer of substationsSiemens
ContractorsEmpower Oy
Commissioned2014
Technical information
Typesubsea cable, overhead line
Type of currentHVDC
Total length171 km (106 mi)
Power rating650 MW
AC voltage330 kV (Estonia), 400 kV (Finland)
DC voltage450 kV
No. of poles1

Estlink is a set of HVDC submarine power cables between Estonia and Finland. Estlink 1 was the first interconnection between the Baltic and Nordic electricity markets followed by Estlink 2 in 2014. The main purpose of the Estlink connection is to secure power supply in both regions to integrate the Baltic and Nordic energy markets.[1][2][3]

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History

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First plans for a submarine power cable between the Baltic and the Nordic regions were proposed in 1990s. Negotiations between Eesti Energia, Pohjolan Voima, Helsingin Energia, Graninge (now E.ON Sverige), Latvenergo, Statkraft and TXE Nordic Energy, a subsidiary of TXU (now Energy Future Holdings Corporation) started In 1999, and on 9 October 2001 a contract was signed in Tallinn.[4] However, only after the harsh winter of 2002–2003 which resulted in an increased demand for power, the project of the submarine cable between Estonia and Finland got a boost.[5][6] The letter of intention for underwater sea cable was signed between Eesti Energia, Pohjolan Voima, Helsingin Energia and Latvenergo on 31 March 2003.[7] In May 2004, the Lithuanian power company Lietuvos Energija agreed to participate in the project, shortly after which the project company AS Nordic Energy Link was established.[8][9] On 29 April 2005, the Estlink project was launched.[6][10] Construction of Harku converter station and land cable installation begins on 5 April 2006.[11] The submarine cable was laid in September 2006.[12][13][14] The Estlink cable was inaugurated on 4 December 2006 and it became fully operational on 5 January 2007.[15][16]

The Estlink 1 cable was operated by AS Nordic Energy Link company, founded by Baltic and Finnish power companies. The main shareholder was Eesti Energia with 39.9% of the shares, Latvenergo and Lietuvos Energija had 25% each, and the remaining 10.1% was divided between Pohjolan Voima and Helsingin Energia (operating through their joint project company Finestlink). On 30 December 2013 the interconnector was sold to the transmission system operators Elering and Fingrid.[17]

Description

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The 105 kilometres (65 mi) long (including 74 kilometres (46 mi) under water) +/-150 kV, 350 MW HVDC link cable is connected to the Estonian electrical system at the Harku 330 kV converter station and to the Finnish transmission network at Espoo 400 kV converter station in Järvikylä using HVDC Light transmission technology.[5][18][10][19] The installation of land cable began on 4 May 2006 in Harku. The submarine cable was laid on the seabed of the Gulf of Finland in the autumn of 2006. The cable's maximum depth on the seabed is 100 metres (330 ft).

The cable was manufactured by ABB.[10] The submarine cable was laid by Global Marine Systems using the CS Sovereign.[6] The project cost €110 million.[12]

Sites

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Name Coordinates
Estonia – Harku 59°23′5″N 24°33′37″E / 59.38472°N 24.56028°E / 59.38472; 24.56028 (Estlink - Harku Static Inverter Plant)
Finland – Espoo 60°12′14″N 24°33′06″E / 60.20389°N 24.55167°E / 60.20389; 24.55167 (Estlink - Espoo Static Inverter Plant)
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History

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A preliminary agreement on EstLink 2 was signed between Elering and Fingrid on 15 February 2010 in Tallinn.[20][21] Capital investment decision by Fingrid was made on 20 May 2010.[22] A construction agreement was signed on 1 November 2010.[23]

On 23 December 2010, the contract to manufacture and install the subsea and underground cables was awarded to Nexans, the contract to build converter stations was awarded to Siemens, the contract to build the Nikuviken cable terminal station and to expand the Anttila substation in Finland was awarded to Empower Oy, and the contract to build the transmission line between Anttila and Nikuviken was awarded to ETDE, a part of Bouygues.[1][2][24][25]

Laying of the cable started on 15 October 2012 and it is laid by the cable ship Nexans Skagerrak.[26][27] The cable testing started on 22 October 2013.[28] A trial operation started on 6 December 2013 and continued until 6 February 2014 after which it started commercial operations.[29][30] It was officially inaugurated on 6 March 2014.[31][32]

The cable experienced an outage on 26 January 2024 originating from the Estonian coast. After repair work was concluded, the connection resumed commercial operation on 4 September 2024.[33]

Incident in December 2024

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Main article: 2024 Estlink 2 incident

On 25 December 2024, an unplanned outage in Estlink 2 reduced the Estonia–Finland cross-border capacity from 1,016 MW to 358 MW.[34] Fingrid expects the outage to last until August 2025.[34] At the time of the outage, electricity was flowing from Finland to Estonia at a rate of 658 MW. Concerns about potential sabotage have arisen due to recent outages in the Baltic Sea region, although subsea cables are also prone to technical malfunctions and accidents. Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo confirmed that authorities were investigating the incident.[35]

At early evening, the Finnish Border Guard escorted the tanker Eagle S, a part of Russia's shadow fleet according to Lloyd's List, to Porkkalanniemi. By early morning on 26 December, both vessels were still near Porkkala.

A statement released by the European Commission described the Eagle S as part of Russia's shadow fleet.[36]

Description

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The total length of Estlink 2 would be 171 kilometres (106 mi), including a 145-kilometre (90 mi) long offshore cable, a 12-kilometre (7.5 mi) long onshore cable in Estonia, and 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) of overhead lines in Finland.[1] The 12-kilometre (7.5 mi) long underground cable starts at the Püssi substation and runs the coast of the Gulf of Finland at Aseri. From there the 145-kilometre (90 mi) long offshore cable runs to the Nikuviken cable terminal station in Finland. The Nikuviken cable terminal station will be connected with the Attila converter station by the 14-kilometre (8.7 mi) long overhead line, which is installed on 63 pylons.[24]

Estlink 2 will be a classic bidirectional monopolar high-voltage direct current connection with line-commutated converter thyristors. Its maximum transmission rate will be 650 MW and it will operate with a voltage of 450 kV.[2] Its estimated cost is about €320 million, of which converter stations cost €100 million and cable €180 million.[1][24] The European Commission has decided to allocate €100 million to the project.[37][38]

Sites

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Name Coordinates
Estonia – Püssi Static Inverter Plant 59°22′13″N 27°04′05″E / 59.37028°N 27.06806°E / 59.37028; 27.06806 (Estlink 2 - Püssi Static Inverter Plant)
Finland – Nikuviken Cable Terminal 60°17′34″N 25°31′41″E / 60.29278°N 25.52806°E / 60.29278; 25.52806 (Estlink 2 - Nikuviken Cable Terminal)
Finland – Anttila Static Inverter Plant 60°22′36″N 25°22′01″E / 60.37667°N 25.36694°E / 60.37667; 25.36694 (Estlink 2 - Anttila Static Inverter Plant)

Waypoints of overhead line in Finland

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List of waypoints
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On June 28, 2022, Elering and Fingrid signed a memorandum of understanding to begin planning for a third submarine cable, EstLink3, with a capacity of up to 1000 MW, expected to be completed by 2035.[39][40]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Siemens secures EUR100m order to supply converter stations for Estlink 2". Power-Gen Worldwide. PennWell. 2010-12-23. Retrieved 2010-12-31.
  2. ^ a b c "Nexans Wins Contract for EstLink 2 Power Submarine Link Between Finland and Estonia". OilVoice. 2010-12-26. Retrieved 2010-12-31.
  3. ^ "Estlink-2 to tie Baltic power producers closer to the Nordic markets". Nordic Investment Bank. December 2010. Archived from the original on 2011-07-20. Retrieved 2010-12-31.
  4. ^ Kurm, Kairi; Gunter, Aleksei (2001-10-11). "New power cable to unite Baltic and Scandinavian power supplies". The Baltic Times. Retrieved 2009-02-07.
  5. ^ a b Pajo, Raine; Aarna, Indrek; Lahtinen, Matti (2007-04-01). "Estlink Tie Improves Baltic States System". Transmission & Distribution World. Penton Media, Inc. Retrieved 2009-02-07.
  6. ^ a b c "Case Studies - Estlink". Global Marine Systems. Archived from the original on 2014-10-10. Retrieved 2014-10-19.
  7. ^ Hõbemägi, Toomas (2003-03-31). "Estonia- Latvia- Finland power groups sign undersea cable protocol". Baltic Business News. Retrieved 2009-02-07.
  8. ^ Hõbemägi, Toomas (2004-05-13). "Lietuvos Energija agrees to invest in Estlink". Baltic Business News. Retrieved 2009-02-07.
  9. ^ "Sea cable Estlink partners formed joint venture". Baltic Business News. 2004-06-07. Retrieved 2009-02-07.
  10. ^ a b c Hõbemägi, Toomas (2005-05-02). "Estonian-Finnish undersea power cable project launched". Baltic Business News. Retrieved 2009-02-07.
  11. ^ Hõbemägi, Toomas (2006-04-05). "Construction work for Estlink submarine cable converter station begins". Baltic Business News. Retrieved 2009-02-07.
  12. ^ a b "Work on Estlink cable begins in Gulf of Finland". New Europe. 2006-09-13. Archived from the original on 2007-10-16. Retrieved 2009-02-07.
  13. ^ Hõbemägi, Toomas (2006-09-11). "Laying of Estlink submarine cable on seabed begins near Tallinn". Baltic Business News. Retrieved 2009-02-07.
  14. ^ Hõbemägi, Toomas (2006-09-29). "Laying of Estlink cable on the seabed is completed". Baltic Business News. Retrieved 2009-02-07.
  15. ^ Hõbemägi, Toomas (2006-12-24). "EUR 110 mln power link between Baltics and Finland inaugurated today". Baltic Business News. Retrieved 2009-02-07.
  16. ^ Hõbemägi, Toomas (2007-01-05). "Estlink subsea cable between Estonia and Finland becomes operational". Baltic Business News. Retrieved 2009-02-07.
  17. ^ "Estlink gets new owners". The Baltic Times. 2014-01-08. Retrieved 2014-01-12.
  18. ^ "Finland-Estonia power cable at least a week late". Reuters. 2006-11-30. Archived from the original on February 1, 2013. Retrieved 2009-02-07.
  19. ^ "Estlink HVDC Light link". ABB. Retrieved 2010-10-02.
  20. ^ "Preliminary agreement signed on EstLink 2 cable connection" (Press release). Nord Pool Spot. 2010-02-15. Archived from the original on 2011-07-14. Retrieved 2010-12-31.
  21. ^ "Power firms sign new Finland-Estonia link deal". Reuters. 2010-02-15. Archived from the original on February 21, 2010. Retrieved 2010-12-31.
  22. ^ "Fingrid's capital investment decision on submarine cable link to Estonia" (Press release). Nord Pool Spot. 2010-05-20. Archived from the original on 2011-07-14. Retrieved 2010-12-31.
  23. ^ "Electricity market expanding further to the Baltic countries" (Press release). Fingrid. 2010-11-01. Archived from the original on 2011-07-20. Retrieved 2010-12-31.
  24. ^ a b c "Contractors chosen for new submarine cable connection between Finland and Estonia:total value of contracts almost 300 million euros" (Press release). Fingrid. 2010-12-23. Archived from the original on 2011-07-20. Retrieved 2010-12-31.
  25. ^ Kinnunen, Terhi (2010-12-23). "Nexans Norway, Siemens win Estlink 2 contracts". Reuters. Archived from the original on February 1, 2013. Retrieved 2010-12-31.
  26. ^ "EstLink 2 Submarine Cable Laying between Finland and Estonia Starts". Subsea World News. 2012-10-15. Retrieved 2012-10-15.
  27. ^ "Laying of EstLink 2 submarine cable has been started" (Press release). Elering. 2012-10-15. Retrieved 2014-01-12.
  28. ^ "Testing of EstLink 2 Started on October 22nd" (Press release). Elering. 2013-10-22. Retrieved 2014-01-12.
  29. ^ "EstLink 2 commissioning tests ran smoothly" (Press release). Fingrid. 2013-10-22. Archived from the original on 2014-01-12. Retrieved 2014-01-12.
  30. ^ "Power Cable EstLink 2 Enters Service". ERR. 2014-02-10. Retrieved 2014-03-08.
  31. ^ "Estlink 2 to Open, Tripling Power Flow Across Gulf". ERR. 2014-03-06. Retrieved 2014-03-08.
  32. ^ "EstLink 2 officially inaugurated". ERR. 2014-03-07. Retrieved 2014-03-08.
  33. ^ "The EstLink 2 electricity interconnector between Finland and Estonia returns to commercial operation". Fingrid. 3 September 2024. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  34. ^ a b "Unavailability of electricity facilities : Transmission". Nord Pool — UMM Platform. Fingrid Oyj. 2024-12-26. Retrieved 2024-12-26.
  35. ^ "Finland investigates outage of undersea power link to Estonia, Finnish PM says". Reuters. December 25, 2024.
  36. ^ "Estonia navy to protect undersea power link after main cable damaged". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 2024-12-28.
  37. ^ "European Commission endorses Estlink 2 investment". Estonia.eu. Baltic News Service. 2010-07-12. Archived from the original on 2010-07-16. Retrieved 2010-10-02.
  38. ^ "Economic Recovery: Second batch of 4-billion-euro package goes to 43 pipeline and electricity projects". European Commission. 2010-03-04. Retrieved 2010-03-08.
  39. ^ Rapacka, Patrycja (2022-06-28). "Elering and Fingrid begin planning for EstLink 3 submarine cable". Retrieved 2022-07-27.
  40. ^ "Elering ja Fingrid käivitavad ühistegevused EstLink 3 rajamiseks - Elering". elering.ee (in Estonian). 2022-06-28. Retrieved 2022-07-27.
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