Estlink Submarine Cable Becomes Operational

On January 2, 2007, ABB handed over the Estlink submarine cable to the Baltic and Finnish power companies. Electricity trade via the Estlink submarine cable commenced on Thursday, January 4.

After long-lasting negotiations ABB group and project’s shareholders reached an agreement on handover and activation conditions of the submarine link.

“The basis of the negotiations was the fact that Estlink contract did not set out a condition when the cable is activated using a temporary solution,” explained Indrek Aarna, Chairman of the Management Board of Nordic Energy Link. He added that prior to the completion of the cable some obstacles in testing have occurred, which, as of today, are solved using a temporary solution. “In order to solve the problem and bring the equipment in accordance with the contract, ABB has ordered additional solution, which will be installed at the Espoo and Harku converter stations in spring of 2007.

The Estlink cable, which for the first time will connect the power systems of the Baltic States and Finland, consists of both a submarine and an underground cable. In total, 210 km of cable was manufactured for the construction of the power connection between Estonia and Finland, of which the submarine cable constitutes 148 and the underground cable 62 km, respectively. The cable was inaugurated on December 4, 2006

The primary purpose of the Estlink submarine cable is to supply the Nordic electricity market with electricity produced in the Baltic States. An estimated 2 TWh of electricity will be transported annually via the cable. Partners in the Estlink project are Eesti Energia, Latvenergo and Lietuvos Energija in the Baltic States and Pohjolan Voima and Helsingin Energia in Finland.