Smooth repair work brings EstLink 2 connection back to market already on Friday
The repair works on the EstLink 2 submarine cable between Estonia and Finland, which began in May, has been completed ahead of schedule, and the connection will be available on the electricity market again starting from 01:00 AM in the night between Thursday and Friday this week.
“The repair works went smoothly. There were no significant technical setbacks during the process, and the repairs were carried out according to the planned scenario involving two repair joints. Thanks to thorough preparation and seamless cooperation with our partners, we managed to restore EstLink 2 to working order before the originally set deadline,” said Reigo Haug, Head of the EstLinks Unit.
The general-purpose vessel Deep Cygnus was used for the cable repair. It was equipped with special tools for handling and repairing the EstLink 2 cable. Planning and vessel preparation took several months from February to April and culminated in successful operations at the fault location during May–June.
According to Haug, the damage to the submarine cable caused by a ship’s anchor on December 25, 2024, has now been fully repaired. The damaged section was removed and replaced with an approximately one-kilometer-long spare cable, which was connected to the existing undamaged cable sections.
“After the cable was repaired, the replacement section was buried, and data was collected on the cable’s burial depth. Post-installation tests and cable energization have also been carried out. Before releasing the EstLink 2 connection back to the electricity market, load tests are being conducted to ensure that the cable is fully operational and ready for continued use,” Haug added.
The EstLink 2 connection was forcibly switched off on December 25, 2024, due to damage caused by a ship's anchor.