Estlink Cable Connection Inaugurated

The cable connection between Finland and the Baltics was inaugurated on 4th December 2006. The ceremony was held simultaneously in Finland and Estonia, with Paula Lehtomäki, Minister of Foreign Trade and Development officiating in Helsinki and Toomas Hendrik Ilves, President of the Republic of Estonia in Tallinn.

The DC cable allows the transmission of electricity at a capacity of 350 megawatts. Its length is approximately 105 kilometres, of which 75 kilometres is submarine cable. The HVDC (high voltage direct current) Light cable connects the Espoo 400 kilovolt substation in Finland with the Harku 330 kilovolt substation in Estonia. Converter stations have been built at both ends. The total investment amounts to 110 million euros.

The cable connects the Baltic countries to the Nordic electricity market for the first time in history. Its capacity does not require grid reinforcements or investments in reserve capacity in Finland. Estlink is reciprocal and the direction of electricity transmission is determined by the price of electricity. The cable connection increases the versatility of the supply structure of electricity in Finland and allows the Nordic grid to provide support the Baltic grid when required. The cable also falls within the scope of the EU plan to ensure the reliability of electricity supply and inter-grid connections, and to improve energy efficiency in Europe.

The Estlink project was executed by AS Nordic Energy Link, of which Pohjolan Voima and Helsinki Energy own 10.1 per cent. The other shareholders are the Baltic companies Eesti Energia, Latvenergo and Lietuvos Energija. The engineering, construction and installation of the cable connection were carried out by ABB.