JSC "Augstsprieguma tīkls" (AST) received four financial offers for the construction of the Dispatcher control and Data center "Jāņciems" and the reconstruction of the production base. In accordance with the rules of the procurement, applicants' applications for the project of critical importance for the safe management of the power system, which was granted the status of an object of national interest in 2022 and is included in the ten-year development plan of the AST electricity transmission system approved by the Public Service Regulatory Commission, will now be evaluated.

During the more than 80 years of AST's operation, the electricity transmission network has undergone significant changes - system management is carried out using the operational data network, remote control and various information systems, cyber security and data security becoming priority areas of operation of the transmission system operator. By implementing the most ambitious project of energy independence in the Baltic States - synchronization with the electrical networks of continental Europe at the beginning of 2025, the ability to independently regulate the frequency of the network will be introduced, as well as other functions, the provision of which requires a dispatcher and data center that meets European requirements.

As part of the project, the entire production base at Dārzciema street 86, Riga, which currently includes ~ 40 buildings, starting from the equipment adjustment rooms and inspection laboratory to the transformer oil purification farm and special transport service rooms, will be restored and renovated.

Most of the buildings in the facility were built in the period from the 1930s to the 1960s, while the newest buildings were built in the 1990s. Due to the wear and tear of the buildings, 50% of them are more economically justified to dismantle and build anew, while a third of them need significant reconstruction for their further operation. The new project will make it possible to reduce the consumption of energy resources by up to 50%.

Companies such as SIA "Monum", SIA "NEWCOM Construction", SIA "VELVE" and the Piegādātāju apvienība "Jāņciems" are participating in the second round of the of the procurement, with the lowest bid price reaching 41.79 million EUR, and the highest 48 million EUR. Currently, the detailed evaluation and clarification of the offers has been started. For the implementation of this important project, funding from the European Union's Recovery and Resilience Mechanism in the amount of EUR 38.1 million has been attracted, of which EUR 27 million is intended for the construction of the dispatcher management and data center, the reconstruction of the production base area and building complex, while EUR 11.1 million. EUR – for the infrastructure of information systems and digitalization of network management, implementation of the project without actually affecting the electricity transmission tariff.