Western Finland soon to boast the country's most modern transmission line
The inauguration ceremony for the Ulvila-Kristinestad electricity transmission line will be celebrated today in Pori on the western coast. The entire line complex spans over 350 kilometres and will be complete by the end of 2016.
A significant investment programme is under way in the Finnish electricity transmission network. Over the coming decade, Fingrid will build approximately 2,500 kilometres of additional transmission lines and more than ten new substations. The investment programme will make new energy solutions possible in Finland.
The investment programme is currently focusing on Western Finland. Numerous wind power projects are planned for the western coast and it is partially for that reason that the largest transmission line project in Fingrid's history is under way in the area. The outdated 220 kilovolt section of the Ostrobothnian electricity transmission network was primarily built in the 1970s and its capacity has become insufficient. It will be largely replaced with a 400 kilovolt network. A 400 kilovolt ring network from Pori to Oulu, seven new substations and 350 kilometres of 400 kilovolt transmission lines will be complete in Ostrobothnia by 2017. All in all, approximately EUR 250 million will be invested in the development of the network in Western Finland from 2007-2016. The construction of substations and transmission lines creates a significant amount of jobs and requires several hundred man-years of labour on work sites.
The development of the Ostrobothnian electricity network began in 2007 and comprises three extensive project entities:
- A 400 and 110 kilovolt transmission line from Seinäjoki to Vaasa and a new transformer substation in Nivala were completed in 2011.
- The second phase of the transmission line project saw the completion of a 400 kilovolt line from Ulvila to Kristinestad. It is the inauguration ceremony for this project that is being celebrated today in Pori.
- The last phase is the construction of a 400 kilovolt transmission line from Kokkola to Muhos, due for completion in 2016.
Fingrid's investment programme also supports Finland's energy and climate strategy. The Ostrobothnian projects will improve the security of electricity supply in the area and create prerequisites for the connection of wind and nuclear power to the main grid. The new transmission connection will also improve the transmission capacity between the north and south of the country, and therefore allow for efficient electricity market operations. During the project planning phase, efforts were made to listen to landowners' views where possible and to find solutions wherein construction would cause as little disruption as possible.
Ulvila-Kristinestad in a nutshell:
Two separate transmission line projects saw the renewal of 115 kilometres of transmission line. The new 400 kilovolt line was constructed primarily on top of the removed 220 kilovolt transmission line. The main contractor for the southern section of the project, from Ulvila to Leväsjoki, was the Italian-Finnish consortium Destia-Tecnolines-Sirti, or DTS. Eltel Networks Oy was responsible for construction work on the northern section of line from Leväsjoki to Kristinestad.
The location of the renovated Ulvila substation is significant with regard to regional electricity transmission and the entire main grid. It was particularly challenging to carry out work under live transmission lines and while the substation was in use. The substation contract included the construction of a 400/110/20 kilovolt AIS, transformer systems and control room buildings as well as control and protection systems. ABB Oy was responsible for the substation contract while Destia-Tecnolines-Sirti, or DTS, took care of line arrangements at the station.
A new substation was built in Kristinestad. The substation contract included the construction of a 400/110/20 kilovolt AIS, transformer systems and control room buildings as well as control and protection systems. Infratek Finland Oy acted as main contractor. The extensive line arrangements and line replacements near the Kristinestad substation were carried out by Eltel Networks Oy.
The costs of the project total EUR 70 million. Construction and outage schedules were very strict in all projects, but all of the transmission line and substation work was completed in line with planned schedules and budgets. In addition, personnel's electrical and occupational safety was taken into account on all sites.
Western coast transmission line project progress and key nodes
Further information:
Jukka Ruusunen, President & CEO, tel. +358 (0)30 395 5140
