Fingrid announces Lowlands Line to increase transmission capacity
Image courtesy 123rf
Finnish TSO Fingrid is building a new 400kv main grid transmission line from Kalajoki to Jämsä to transmit electricity from the major wind power production hub on the west coast to consumption sites elsewhere.
The transmission line, known as the Lowlands Line, will be completed in 2027. It will enable new customer connections to the main grid and improve the overall security of the power system.
The project entails the construction of three new substations in addition to the transmission line. These will enable new renewable electricity production in areas where main grid connections have so far been impossible.
The new 400kv Lowlands Line will increase the transmission capacity from the west coast to Southern Finland.
Reinforcing the north–south transmission capacity will also boost the electricity market’s efficiency and enable Finland to remain a single price area in the electricity market.
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Project timeline
According to Fingrid, the Lowlands Line, which will be completed in phases, will be one of Fingrid’s most important investment projects in the coming years.
The transmission line section between Jylkkä and Alajärvi will be completed in 2027, and the section between Alajärvi and Toivila will be completed in 2028.
A separate transmission line from Åback to Nokia is planned to strengthen the power system in the southern part of the west coast. This line should also be completed in 2028.
Fingrid plans to invest approximately €4 billion ($4.3 billion) in the main grid over the next decade to power the green transition.
The planned projects are based on forecasts of Finland’s future electricity production and consumption structure. One precondition for the realisation of the investment programme is a licensing and regulatory environment that supports the main grid investments.
Reinforcing the main grid will boost Finland’s internal electricity transmission capacity, strengthen cross-border connections, and enable new customer projects to connect to the main grid.
Increasing wind power projections
Fingrid expects significant amounts of renewable energy coming online, specifically from wind power generation.
According to the TSO, who oversees a transmission grid of 14,500km and 121 substations as of 2023, the volume of wind power production on the west coast has already soared and a further 5,000MW of wind power capacity is set to be built.
A significant amount of clean, renewable electricity production has also been built along the west coast, while the volume of production from fossil fuels has declined in Southern Finland.
Three weeks prior to Fingrid’s announcement, the TSO announced five potential areas along the west coast where offshore wind parks could be connected to the grid by the 2030s.
The areas identified by Fingrid include Ulvila, Närpiö, Vaasa, Raahe, and Raisio. Also, the Inkoo area has been identified as a potential connection area if offshore wind power development becomes feasible in Finland’s southern sea areas.
