Elering to Invest 12 Million Euros in the Security of Supply for the Islands

Elering will invest a total of 12 million euros in the next few years in improving the security of supply to the islands of Muhu, Saaremaa and Hiiumaa, replacing the worn-out cable between the mainland and Muhu by 2012 with a much more powerful cable, and building a cable across the strait.

Chair of the Elering board Taavi Veskimägi says that the experience of last winter has made improving the connection a top priority for Elering. “Throughout the winter we worked in constant fear of the connection to the islands breaking because the line between the mainland and Muhu is so worn-out. Improving the connections to the islands is not a luxury that must be paid for by Estonian electricity consumers, but a real necessity for guaranteeing good-quality electricity at all times and all seasons to consumers living on the islands.”

There are currently six 35 kV lines running between Virtsu and Võiküla, one of which will be replaced with a 110 kV cable. The new cable will be dug into the seabed to minimise the risk of damage from ridged ice, anchors or other external factors. The new cable will run at high voltages, and this will make it powerful enough that, if necessary, it will be able to carry all the electricity currently transmitted through the six 35 kV cables from the mainland to Muhu, from where it can be carried on to Saaremaa and Hiiumaa on overhead lines.
Elering will build a reserve cable in parallel to the overhead line along the dam in the strait between Saaremaa and Hiiumaa, as this dam is exposed to extreme weather conditions and difficult for repair teams to access, so a storm that exceeds the dam’s design parameters could leave Saaremaa and Hiiumaa without electricity for a long time.

At the same time that the cable is installed in 2012, renovation work will be carried out at Võiküla substation, as this is a key junction point for Muhu and Saaremaa. The Leisi substation, which supplies electricity to Hiiumaa, is planned for renovation by 2016.

Elering is the independent transmission system operator for Estonia, whose main duty is to ensure high-quality supplies of electricity to consumers at all times. To achieve security of supply, Elering maintains and develops the national transmission grid and international connections. Elering controls the Estonian electricity system in real time, ensuring the operation of the transmission network, and the balance between production and consumption.