Construction, Energy, EU – Baltic States, Lithuania

Photo: litgrid.eu

Now the Klaipeda substation is ready to be connected with NordBalt power interconnection, the construction of which is due to be finished in one year's time.

"The reconstruction of one of the key electricity transmission hubs in Lithuania is another important step towards the successful implementation of the NordBalt project, a power interconnection between Lithuania and Sweden. The substation's reconstruction was carried out to the highest standards of security and reliability of electricity transmission. Now we will be able to ensure a better control and management of the power system and deal with any disruption of the power system in time and more effectively," said Karolis Sankovski, head of the Strategic Infrastructure Department and member of the Board of the Lithuanian electricity transmission system operator Litgrid.

In one year the Klaipeda substation will become a vital hub of electricity transmission in Lithuania. The Klaipeda substation which is now used to transmit electricity via high voltage cross border lines with Latvia and Kaliningrad will transmit electricity from Sweden when NordBalt is put into operation. The Klaipeda substation was also connected with the Klaipeda-Telsiai power line, the first 330 kV power transmission line built since the restoration of independence.

The reconstruction of the Klaipėda substation involved the dismantling of old 330 kV and 110 kV sections, the renovation of more than ten of 110 kV overhead power lines and cables, and the construction of new modular buildings for 10 kV, 110 kV and 330 kV switchyard control rooms. The Klaipėda substation has been equipped with two autotransformers, the most powerful in the Lithuanian electricity transmission grid, and new control rooms from which the substation's data is automatically sent to the System Control Centre in Vilnius. The place for building the HVDC back-to-back converter station of NordBalt was well thought out, by applying advanced planning strategies and technological solutions:  the part of the converter station's building occupies the territory of the old 110 kV switchyard, with the new 110 kV switchyard built nearly.

The reconstruction of the Klaipeda substation started in February 2012, with the estimated cost of EUR 65 million of which nearly a third was funded from the European Regional Development Fund.