AST starts 74.3 million euro, third interconnection project of Estonia – Latvia
Today, on 1 February, JSC “Augstsprieguma tīkls” (AST) signed a contract with the general partnership "EE-LV Interconnection" on designing and construction of the power transmission line of the project "Third 330kV interconnection of Estonia - Latvia". It is expected that 65% of the total costs of the project in the amount of 74.3 million EUR will be covered from the funds of the Connecting Europe Facility.
“The project is a serious step towards increasing cross-border transfer capacity and the elimination of overload in the Estonia-Latvia transmission cross-section - the estimated transfer capacity increase is 500/600 MW in both directions. Within the framework of the project it is planned to construct a 330 kV high-voltage power transmission line in the length of 180 kilometres from Riga TEC-2 power plant to the border of Estonia, while the Estonian transmission system operator “Elering” will construct a part of this line in the territory of Estonia to the substation Kilingi-Nōmme,” says Chairman of the Board of the Latvian transmission system operator AST Varis Boks when explaining the importance of the project.
The new interconnection of the power transmission network is an essential future infrastructure project for the whole Baltic Sea region, which will increase the electric supply safety of the Baltic region, ensure efficient operation of the electric power market in the Baltic states, as well as increase the competitiveness of producers both; in the Baltic states, and between the Baltic states and Nordic countries.
The new power transmission line in the length of approximately 20 km will be constructed from the border of Estonia to the existing power transmission corridor within the section Rūjiena-Aloja, by continuing it further along the corridor of the existing line along Aloja, Limbaži and Skulte to Saulkrasti. Further, the line will be located beside the emerging “Rail Baltica” railway, while the last section in the length of two km to TEC-2 will be in parallel with the planned route of the motor road E22.
It is planned to implement the project by 2020 and it is also included in the ten-year development plans of the Latvian and European power transmission system. Latvian transmission system operator JSC “Augstsprieguma tīkls” is responsible for the implementation of the Estonia – Latvia 3rd interconnection project in the territory of Latvia.
The general partnership "EE-LV Interconnection" includes the limited liability company “Elko” registered in the Republic of Latvia, joint-stock company “SELPOL” registered in the Republic of Poland and joint-stock company "LEONHARD WEISS ENERGY" registered in the Republic of Estonia.