Fingrid’s investment in the Uusnivala substation will boost transmission capacity within Finland

Fingrid, the transmission system operator in Finland, is investing approximately EUR 8 million in the Uusnivala substation in Nivala, North Ostrobothnia. The series compensation equipment at the substation is being expanded to increase the transmission capacity between the south and the north. It will also enable new forms of electricity generation to be connected to the grid and help Finland to remain a single price area.

The Uusnivala substation is home to the series compensation equipment for the 400-kilovolt River Line, a transmission line connection to Fingrid’s main transmission grid. The series compensation equipment is used to boost the River Lines’ transmission capacity. The control and protection systems of the series compensation equipment will be modernised, and preparations will be made for the connection of future wind power and the Fennovoima nuclear power plant to the main grid by enhancing the existing series compensation.

Several thousand megawatts of wind power generation is planned for connection to the Uusnivala substation and along the River Lines. In addition, some of the electricity generated by the potential Fennovoima nuclear power plant would be transmitted via the River Lines. The transmission capacity of the River Lines is being increased to enable new generation facilities to be connected to the grid.

Fingrid originally planned to carry out a smaller-scale technical refurbishment of the series compensation equipment at the Uusnivala substation. However, the company decided to expand the series compensation at the station in addition to the refurbishment in order to boost the transmission capacity of the River Lines and meet the growing demand for new connections to electricity generation facilities.

“This is the most cost-effective solution. By expanding the existing series compensation equipment at the same time as the refurbishment, we can make the most of our existing installations and increase the service life of the series compensation equipment by 20 years,” says Teemu Hänninen, an Expert at Fingrid.

The work will take place in the Uusnivala substation area, and the project will be completed by the end of 2023.

Fingrid estimates that approximately 1,000 megawatts of wind power projects will be completed in Finland every year of this decade. Most of the new generation facilities are likely to be built further north in Finland. By maintaining and expanding the transmission capacity from the north to the south, Fingrid is enabling investments in clean electricity generation.

Further information:

Timo Kiiveri, Senior Vice President, Fingrid Oyj, tel. +358 40 543 3039

Teemu Hänninen, Fingrid Oyj, tel. +358 400 470 358