Lithuanian and Polish electricity transmission system operators Litgrid and PSE are considering various alternatives for the planned new electricity interconnection between Lithuania and Poland.
Due to a significant increase in costs and overbooked cable and converter station production slots, the procurements for the planned Harmony Link HVDC interconnection were terminated in April 2023. Immediately after this decision, Polish and Lithuanian TSOs began the preparation process for the new procurement tenders, but at the same time considered various alternatives that could bring costs down and be commissioned within the shortest possible timeframe.
One of the alternatives studied by TSOs is an onshore cable. According to preliminary assessment, the alternative could allow for a reduction in the project budget and a faster implementation.
The onshore cable could partially use the infrastructure corridor of the planned Rail Baltica railway route between Poland and Lithuania. As preliminary assessments are still being taken, both offshore and onshore interconnections are considered at this stage.
It is expected that the decision on the implementation approach will be made in the first half of 2024.
Source: Litgrid
