NordBalt

NordBalt
Location
Country Lithuania, Sweden
Coordinates 55°40′54″N 21°15′29″E / 55.68167°N 21.25806°E / 55.68167; 21.25806 (Klaipėda substation)
56°46′1″N 15°51′35″E / 56.76694°N 15.85972°E / 56.76694; 15.85972 (Nybro substation)
General direction east–west
From Klaipėda
Passes through Baltic Sea
To Nybro
Ownership information
Partners Litgrid
Svenska kraftnät
Construction information
Manufacturer of conductor/cable ABB
Manufacturer of substations ABB
Construction started 11 April 2014
Construction cost €552 million
Commissioned 14 December 2015
Technical information
Type submarine cable
Type of current HVDC
Total length 450 km (280 mi)
Power rating 700 MW
AC Voltage 330 kV
400 kV
DC Voltage ±300 kV
Number of poles 2

NordBalt (also formerly known as SwedLit) is a submarine power cable between Klaipėda in Lithuania and Nybro in Sweden. The aim of the cable is to promote trading between Baltic and Nordic electricity markets, as also to increase the security of power supply in both markets.

History

The project was originally suggested in 2004. Original project Swindlit was aimed at construction of the wind farm in the Baltic Sea and ensuring the electricity transmission to Sweden and Lithuania. The participants of this project were interested also in Kruonis Pumped Storage Plant as an accumulator of variable wind energy.

In August 2006, the Lithuanian and Swedish transmission grid operators Lietuvos Energija and Svenska kraftnät agreed to launch a feasibility study of a possible interconnection.[1] In February 2007, Lietuvos Energija and Svenska Kraftnät signed an agreement with Swedish consulting company SWECO International on preparation of feasibility study. The study was completed in March 2008 with positive conclusions for the implementation of the project.[2]

On 9 July 2009, Lietuvos Energija, Latvenergo and Svenska Kraftnät signed a memorandum of understanding on the NordBalt project.[3] Invitation for pre-qualification for NordBalt converters' and cable procurement was launched in December 2009.[4] The sea bottom survey was conducted by Marin Mätteknik by 13 December 2009.[5] On 17 December 2010, Litgrid, a newly established transmission system operator of Lithuania who took the project over from Lietuvos Energija, and Svenska kraftnät, signed a €270 million contract with ABB according to which ABB manufactured the cable.[6] According to another contract, signed on 20 December 2010, ABB supplied two converter stations.[7]

In March 2013 Government of Lithuania approved constructions plan around coast area.[8] On 18 April 2013 Sweden government gave its final approval to the construction of a power cable.[9] Cable laying started on 11 April 2014.[10] It was laid by using C/S Lewek Connector.[11] The cable laying was disrupted several times by the Russian Navy.[12][13][14] On 9 June 2015, the cable laying works were completed.[15]

The cable was officially inaugurated on 14 December 2015.[16] However, due to fire near the Nybro substation, test transmission with a capacity of 30 MW started only on 1 February 2016.[17][18][19] On 17 February 2016, electricity transmitted via Nordbalt was traded first time at Nord Pool Spot.[20] The test phase is not ended yet.

Technical features

The interconnection uses high-voltage direct current cable. The length of the cable is 450 kilometres (280 mi), of which 400 kilometres (250 mi) is the submarine cable, 40 kilometres (25 mi) is the land cable in Sweden, and 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) is the land cable in Lithuania. Its maximum capacity is 700 MW with ramping restriction of 600 MW.[21]

Economy

The interconnection cost €580 million, of which the submarine cable costs €270 million.[6][7] €175 million is provided by the European Commission.[3]

It connects the Nord Pool Spot bidding areas southern Sweden (SE4) and Lithuania (LT).[22]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Agreement on Feasibility Study of Construction of Transmission Line between Lithuania and Sweden signed" (Press release). Lietuvos Energija. 2006-08-25. Archived from the original on 2007-03-08. Retrieved 2009-07-10.
  2. ↑ "SwedLit Interconnection: Baltic countries resolve the dispute". Global Transmission. 2009-05-01. Retrieved 2016-03-26.
  3. 1 2 "Sweden, Lithuania, Latvia sign deal for power link". Reuters. 2009-07-10. Retrieved 2009-07-11.
  4. ↑ "Invitation for pre-qualification for NordBalt converters' and cable procurement tenders announced" (Press release). InterLinks. 2009-12-07. Archived from the original on 2010-02-09. Retrieved 2010-02-27.
  5. ↑ "Sea bottom survey completed" (Press release). InterLinks. 2009-12-16. Archived from the original on 2010-02-09. Retrieved 2010-02-27.
  6. 1 2 Adomaitis, Nerijus (2010-12-17). "ABB signs 270 mln euro NordBalt power cable deal". Reuters. Retrieved 2010-12-20.
  7. 1 2 Reid, Katie (2010-12-20). "ABB wins Nordic-Baltic power order". Reuters. Retrieved 2010-12-31.
  8. ↑ "Vyriausybė leido tiesti elektros jungties "NordBalt" kabelį pajūrio juostoje" [The government has allowed the construction of the electrical interconnector NordBalt in the coastal zone]. Delfi (in Lithuanian). 2013-03-06. Retrieved 2013-03-06.
  9. ↑ "Duotas leidimas elektros bambagyslei su Švedija" [Authorization given by Sweden for the power cable]. Delfi (in Lithuanian). 2013-04-18. Retrieved 2014-04-11.
  10. ↑ "Pradedamas tiesti elektros jungties "NordBalt" kabelis" [NordBalt power cable construction started]. Lietuvos žinios (in Lithuanian). 2014-04-11. Retrieved 2014-04-11.
  11. ↑ Worzyk, Thomas (2013-04-30). NordBalt - the ultra-long 300 kV extruded HVDC cable 280 miles through the Baltic Sea (PDF). ICC Spring Meeting. Lietuvos žinios. Retrieved 2016-03-26.
  12. ↑ Crouch, David (2015-05-02). "Lithuania accuses Russia of disrupting work on Baltic power cable". Financial Times. Retrieved 2015-03-26.
  13. ↑ Zander, Christina (2015-05-06). "Undersea Electricity Cable Generates Friction Between Russia and Baltics". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2015-03-26.
  14. ↑ Braw, Elisabeth (2015-05-05). "Balts Say Russian Navy Bullying Undersea Cable Crews". Radio Free Europe. Retrieved 2015-05-07.
  15. ↑ Verseckas, Darius (2015-06-09). "Baigė tiesti "NordBalt"" [Construction of NordBalt has finished]. Verslo žinios (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 9 December 2015.
  16. ↑ "Baltic states reach 'milestone' in reducing energy dependence on Russia". Deutsche Welle. 2015-12-14. Retrieved 2015-03-26.
  17. ↑ "Electricity begins flowing via the cable NordBalt". Baltic Course. 2016-02-02. Retrieved 2015-03-26.
  18. ↑ "Power successfully transmitted through NordBalt cable" (Press release). Litgrid. 2016-02-01. Retrieved 2016-02-02.
  19. ↑ "Completion of NordBalt and LitPol closes the Baltic Ring". Modern Power Systems. 2016-03-23. Retrieved 2015-03-26.
  20. ↑ "First electricity transmitted through NordBalt sold on the market" (Press release). Litgrid. 2016-02-18. Retrieved 2016-02-18.
  21. ↑ "NordBalt HVDC connection strengthens integration of Baltic energy markets with northern Europe". ABB Group. Retrieved 2010-12-31.
  22. ↑ "During the first month of summer electricity price traditionally rose". litgrid.eu. 2015-07-28. Retrieved 2016-08-08.
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