Estonian and Finnish transmission system operators Elering and Fingrid have signed a letter of intent to begin the planning process for a third submarine cable link connecting Finland and Estonia.
The agreement was signed on June 28. The EstLink3 submarine cable is expected to enhance energy security in the Baltic Sea region.
“The additional capacity is needed to improve the integration and security of supply in the Baltic electricity market and contribute to the achievement of climate and RES targets”, says Jukka Ruusunen, CEO of Fingrid.
It is estimated that the connecting capacity of EstLink 3 will amount to 700 – 1,000 MW. The new link is expected to be completed by 2035.
Currently, there are two DC power links between Estonia and Finland – Estlink 1, completed in 2006, and EstLink 2, completed in 2014, with a total transmission capacity of 1,000 MW.
Fingrid says that they are also currently building a new Aurora Line energy interconnector between Finland and northern Sweden. A fourth interconnect in Sweden, Aurora Line 2, is also planned for early in the next decade.
