The equipment of Latvia's first synchronous condenser has been delivered to JSC "Augstsprieguma tīkls" (AST) new condenser station's building in Grobiņa. The synchronous condenser is produced in Germany at the "Siemens Energy" factory and will serve to maintain a stable frequency in the energy system of Latvia and the entire Baltic. The synchronous condenser will be prepared for connection to the transmission network in the coming months. At the same time, production and testing of the other two Latvia's synchronous condenser equipment is taking place in Germany, while the synchronous condenser station building is being built at the AST substation in Ventspils and design work is underway in Līksna.

From the left: Joakim Lagerholm, Vice President of Siemens Energy Nordics & Baltics, Kaspars Melnis, Minister of Climate and Energy, Gatis Junghāns, JSC "Augstsprieguma tīkls" board member 

Each synchronous condenser station will provide reactive power capacity of 100 MVAr and 2090 MWsec of inertia to the power network. The total investments is 114 million. EUR. 75% of the eligible costs of synchronous condenser projects are covered by co-financing from the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF).

Kaspars Melnis, Minister of Climate and Energy, says: "The delivery of Latvia's first synchronous condenser to the condenser station building in Grobiņa is an important moment for the energy independence of Latvia and the Baltics. It confirms our ability to be fully disconnected from the BRELL grid soon. Latvia has not purchased electricity from Russia for two years. We need to build on what we have started and become energy self-sufficient in the future - independent from any other country. Only in this way we will be able to offer the Latvian society affordable energy in the volume we need – with wind and solar power plants, by laying the basis for Latvia's energy independence in the upcoming years."

"After Latvia joined to the European Union, the Eurozone and NATO, synchronisation with the energy system of continental Europe is the logical next step on the way to the energy independence of Latvia and the entire Baltic. Energy independence, as well as the reliability of energy supply, which we will be able to maintain with strategically important synchronous condenser stations, are particularly important in the current geopolitical situation. We are glad that all projects related to power grid synchronisation are going according to plan and will allow us to fulfil all the prerequisites for the successful synchronisation of the Baltic power grids with Europe at the beginning of next year", says Gatis Junghāns, a member of the board of JSC "Augstsprieguma tīkls".

JSC Augstsprieguma tīkls, in cooperation with EM&SE Syncons, a general partnership formed by Siemens Energy of Germany and SIA Enersense of Latvia, in Latvia will construct, and connect to the transmission network three synchronous condenser stations. 

"Siemens Energy is proud to be part of this project that marks another important step in grid stabilisation for the Latvian power system, as well as synchronising the Baltic electricity system with continental Europe. Working in partnership with AST and Enersense, the delivery of the synchronous condenser is an important landmark. Within the next year, nine synchronous condensers will be completed in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia – three in each country – to ensure the necessary inertia in the electric power system. The synchronisation of the Baltic networks with continental Europe will play a vital role in the security of electricity supply in the region and will also enable the connection of renewable energy to the network,” points Joakim Lagerholm, Vice President of Siemens Energy Nordics & Baltics. 

Synchronous condensers will ensure the necessary inertia in the electric power system, as well as short-circuit power for relay protection and the safe connection of solar and wind power plants. The construction of synchronous condensers is part of the transmission system infrastructure reinforcement projects needed to synchronise the Baltic electricity system with continental Europe.

The equipment delivered to Grobiņa - the condenser, its flywheel and its components, which in total exceed 390 tons, were brought to Liepāja from Germany by ship at the beginning of May, but they were brought to Grobiņa by special transport this week. 

The synchronisation of the Baltic networks with continental Europe will increase the security of electricity supply in the region while promoting the development of the European internal energy market and creating new business opportunities. The investments in equipment and technologies are also one of the preconditions for the secure connection of large-scale renewable energy sources to the transmission network and for meeting the objectives of the European Green Deal.

More information about the synchronisation project is available HERE.