Construction of the second phase of the Aurora Line to begin in Finland
Construction is proceeding on the Aurora Line, a transmission line that will strengthen the cross-border connection between Finland and Sweden. In October, the Finnish Government granted an expropriation permit for the second phase of the project in Finland. Aurora Line will increase the cross-border capacity between the countries and improves security of supply in Finland and in Baltic Sea area.
The 400 kilovolt Aurora Line is the most important investment of the decade in Finland's main grid. It will boost the electricity transmission capacity between Finland and Sweden, reducing electricity prices in Finland. The transmission capacity from Finland to Sweden will increase by 900 megawatts, and the capacity from Sweden to Finland will rise by 800 megawatts.
When the Aurora Line is completed, it will run from the Pyhänselkä substation in Muhos, Finland, to Messaure in Sweden. The 380-kilometre transmission line is being built in phases. Construction began on the first phase in autumn 2022 in Finland. The connection is expected to be fully completed in 2025.
In the first phase, a transmission line will be built from Muhos to Tornio
The first phase involves building a 153-kilometre transmission line from the Pyhänselkä substation in Muhos to a new substation at Viitajärvi in Tornio. The work also includes the construction of the Viitajärvi substation in Tornio and the Isomaa series compensation substation in Oulu.
Finnish Government grants expropriation permit for the section of transmission line from Viitajärvi to Vuonnonkoski
In the second phase, which will begin this autumn, a section of transmission line will be built from Viitajärvi to the Messaure substation in Sweden.
In October, the Government granted an expropriation permit for the land required to build the 47-kilometre section of the transmission line in Finland. The connection will run from Viitajärvi to Vuennonkoski in Ylitornio, where it will cross the border.
The Swedish government granted a building permit to Svenska kraftnät, the Swedish transmission system operator, on Friday 6 October. Construction of the Swedish section of the Aurora Line will begin in October.
On the Swedish side of the border, a 180-kilometre transmission line will be built from Vuennonkoski to the Messaure substation, and the Messaure substation and Isovaara series capacitor station will be expanded.
Aurora Line improves security of energy supply and lowers electricity prices
The Aurora Line will strengthen the electricity connections between Finland and Northern Sweden. The connection will improve the security of electricity supply, the resilience of the electricity system to disturbances, and lower the price of electricity.
The Aurora Line will enable an increase in renewable electricity production not only in Finland and Sweden, but also more widely in the Baltic Sea region and promote the realisation of green industry investments planned in the northern parts of Finland and Sweden.
The European Union has identified the Aurora Line as a Project of Common Interest to the EU, benefiting several Member States in the Baltic Sea region. The EU awarded the Aurora Line EUR 127 million in funding under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) in January 2022. The costs of the project will be covered by the CEF funding and congestion income.
Fingrid is already working with Svenska kraftnät to plan the construction of the next transmission line, Aurora Line 2. Preliminary studies are underway for the project.
Further information:
Timo Kiiveri, Senior Vice President, Fingrid Oyj