Reinforcements to the grid in Ostrobothnia

Fingrid, the transmission system operator in Finland, is reinforcing the electricity transmission grid on the west coast by adopting the 400 kilovolt voltage level. The development of the grid in Ostrobothnia consists of a number of transmission line and substation projects. One of the outcomes of the upgrade is that it enables wind power to be connected flexibly to the transmission grid.

Fingrid has an ongoing extensive capital expenditure programme conforming to the Finnish climate and energy strategy. The programme allows the connection of wind power and nuclear power to the grid. The development of the grid in Ostrobothnia is part of this ten-year capital investment programme. Fingrid’s present network in the region is aged and has insufficient transmission capacity. This is why it will be replaced completely with a new network. The upgraded transmission connections will also improve the transmission capacity between northern and southern Finland.

At present, Fingrid’s grid in Ostrobothnia consists of 220 kilovolt lines and transformer substations mainly built in the 1970s. The transmission capacity of the grid in the region is beginning to be insufficient, and the ageing infrastructure calls for action. The technical service life of the substation equipment has also come to an end.

“The construction work will require careful planning of transmission outages between 2013 and 2016. The ability of the grid to withstand faults will be reduced during this period, but Fingrid endeavours to plan the construction work carefully in close co-operation with electricity companies,” Fingrid’s Executive Vice President Kari Kuusela said in commenting on the construction situation.

All in all, by 2017 there will be a new 400 kilovolt ring network in Ostrobothnia from Pori to Oulu, four new substations, and 350 kilometres of 400 kilovolt transmission lines.

The most recent capital investment decision of 110 million euros related to the project concerns the Hirvisuo - Pyhäselkä transmission line. The entire project comprises, among other things, a 210-kilometre Hirvisuo - Pyhäselkä 400 kilovolt transmission line from Kokkola to the Oulu region, Hirvisuo transformer and series capacitor substation, Tuovila 400 kilovolt substation, as well as the extension of the Pyhäselkä substation. Moreover, there will be numerous modifications at various substations and on transmission lines when the old 220 kilovolt lines are converted to 110 kilovolt voltage. The project will be completed in 2016.

Further information:
Kari Kuusela, Executive Vice President, tel. +358 (0)40 502 7333
Antero Reilander, Special Adviser. tel. +358 (0)40 519 5825