Page 1 Created with Sketch. Page 1 Created with Sketch. Page 1 Created with Sketch. Page 1 Created with Sketch. Artboard 1 copy 14Artboard 1 copy 7Artboard 1 copy 66Artboard 1 copy 23Artboard 1 copy 16Artboard 1 copy 55Artboard 1 copy 43Artboard 1 copy 50Artboard 1 copy 54Artboard 1 copy 34Artboard 1 copy 51Artboard 1 copy 36Artboard 1 copy 35Artboard 1 copy 46Artboard 1 copyArtboard 1 copy 31Artboard 1 copy 48Artboard 1 copy 9Artboard 1 copy 27Artboard 1 copy 8Artboard 1 copy 20Artboard 1 copy 2Artboard 1 copy 24Artboard 1 copy 62Artboard 1 copy 30Artboard 1 copy 41Artboard 1 copy 28Artboard 1 copy 26Artboard 1 copy 67Artboard 1 copy 52Artboard 1 copy 33Artboard 1 copy 29Artboard 1 copy 19Artboard 1 copy 53Artboard 1 copy 22Artboard 1 copy 21Artboard 1 copy 12Artboard 1 copy 13Artboard 1 copy 47Artboard 1 copy 49Artboard 1 copy 57Artboard 1 copy 32Artboard 1 copy 4Artboard 1 copy 25Artboard 1 copy 10Artboard 1 copy 15Artboard 1Artboard 1 copy 56Artboard 1 copy 11Artboard 1 copy 38Artboard 1 copy 65Artboard 1 copy 39Artboard 1 copy 5Artboard 1 copy 58Artboard 1 copy 6Artboard 1 copy 17Artboard 1 copy 40Artboard 1 copy 60Artboard 1 copy 3Artboard 1 copy 45Artboard 1 copy 18Artboard 1 copy 42Artboard 1 copy 61Artboard 1 copy 63Artboard 1 copy 64Artboard 1 copy 59Artboard 1 copy 44Artboard 1 copy 37 Combined Shape Created with Sketch. icon/info Created with Sketch. icon/info Created with Sketch. Group 17 Created with Sketch. Fill 1 Created with Sketch. Page 1 Created with Sketch. 99021DFE-DB58-4EE2-9D52-C2BF154A8B0A Created with sketchtool. Oval 2 Created with Sketch. Combined Shape Created with Sketch. Combined Shape Copy Created with Sketch. Group 18 Created with Sketch. Group 16 Created with Sketch. Page 1 Created with Sketch. ; ;
« Back to search
15.10.2012 09:30
Press Releases

Laying of EstLink 2 submarine cable has been started

Today the laying of the submarine cable for the EstLink 2 electricity transmission connection between Finland and Estonia was started with marine cable pull-in operations in Aseri, Estonia. The marine cable will be laid in the Gulf of Finland in two stages. The new high voltage direct current connection is expected to come into operation in early 2014 and it will play an important role in the development of the electricity market in the Baltic Sea region. ​
The EstLink 2 HVDC (high-voltage direct current) connection between Finland and Estonia will have a transmission capacity of 650 megawatts, which increases the total transmission capacity between the countries to 1,000 megawatts. The total length of the link is approx. 170 km, some 14 km of which is overhead line in Finland, about 145 km submarine cable laid on the bottom of the Gulf of Finland, and about 12 km underground cable in Estonia.
 
The total budget of the project is approx. 320 million euros, which will be divided between Fingrid and Elering, the transmission system operators in the two countries. EstLink 2 will receive 100 million euros in investment subsidy from the EU as part of the EU’s extensive economy recovery package.
 
There will be converter stations at both ends of the link, used for converting direct current to alternating current and vice versa. The interconnection will be connected to the Finnish transmission grid at the Anttila substation. In Estonia, the cable will be connected to the Estonian grid at the Püssi substation in North-eastern Estonia.

Following the manufacturing of the submarine cable in Norway, the cable is laid on the seabed in two campaigns of approximately 75 kilometres each. A single cable campaign weighs about 5,800 tonnes. The carrying capacity of the cable installation vessel c/s Nexans Skagerrak is 7,000 tonnes.
 
The first campaign from the Estonian coast started today, and the cable laying work in Finland outside Porvoo is scheduled to commence preliminarily in November or December 2012. The laying schedule is dependent on the weather conditions. The final jointing, testing and commissioning of the submarine cable will be done in 2013.
 
The laying of the cable from the Estonian coast takes about a week, as will the laying of the cable in the sea area of Finland later on. The cables will be connected at the middle of the Gulf of Finland. After the laying of the cable, it will be submerged and protected in the seabed by means of the water jetting method.
 
Enhanced market functioning and improved system security
 
The EstLink 2 HVDC connection is built so as to improve power system security and electricity market integration in the Baltic Sea region. The project has progressed swiftly. The deliveries of materials for the converter stations and their installation work started in the autumn of 2012. Most of the work for the alternating current substations, direct current overhead transmission line and underground cable will be completed before the end of 2012.
 
EstLink 2 in brief, and stages of the project
  • Joint project undertaken by Fingrid and Elering.
  • Capacity 650 megawatts, voltage 450 kilovolts.
  • Link length approx. 170 km, of which 14 km of overhead line, 145 km of submarine cable and 12 km of underground cable.
  • Commissioning in early 2014.
  • Total costs of the project: approx. 320 million euros.
  • Environmental impact study, route selections, seabed surveys, and application for various permits in Finland and Estonia. All the basic permits were obtained in 2010.
  • Reinforcement of the electricity transmission grid in Estonia. Contractor Empower Oy. All reinforcement work in Estonia is completed.
  • Earthwork at Anttila and Nikuviken in Finland. Contractor Konevuori Oy. The earthwork is ready.
  • Substation upgrades in Finland (Anttila) and Estonia (Püssi). The contractor in Finland is Empower Oy, and in Estonia the Siemens Osakeyhtiö Estonian branch.
  • Construction of HVDC (high-voltage direct current) converter substations in Finland (Anttila) and Estonia (Püssi). The contractor is a consortium of Siemens AG and Siemens Osakeyhtiö.
  • Construction of the direct current overhead line in Finland from the converter substation to the terminal point of the submarine cable. The contractor is the French company ETDE.
  • Manufacture and laying of the submarine cable, and construction of the direct current underground cable in Estonia from the converter substation at Püssi to the terminal point of the submarine cable at Aseri. The contractor is Nexans Norway AS.
Further information:
Fingrid: Jukka Ruusunen, President & CEO, tel. +358 (0)40 593 8428 and
Fingrid: Risto Ryynänen, Project Manager, tel. +358 (0)30 395 5219
Elering: Taavi Veskimägi, CEO, tel. +37 250 10168
Elering: Reigo Haug, Project Manager, tel. +37 252 54 095

 


The sole responsibility of this publication lies with the author. The European Union is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.