Plans for the fourth electricity connection between Estonia and Latvia have been postponed beyond the original 2038 completion date, and no final decisions have been made.
Estonia’s national transmission system operator, Elering, has projected that new connections with Finland and Latvia would be completed in around 10 years’ time.
Under the updated plan, both Estlink 3 and the fourth Estonia-Latvia connection were scheduled to be completed between 2035 and 2038, with the investment decision planned for 2027-2028.
However, these dates have now been revised.
Elering management board member Reigo Kebja told ERR that, at Finland’s initiative, the projected completion date for the third Estonia-Finland electricity connection, Estlink 3, had been pushed back to 2038, and that timeline could still change.
“We are continuing preparations for the fourth Estonia-Latvia electricity connection, but we consider it reasonable to make the final investment decisions on new foreign connections toward both Finland and Latvia within the same timeframe,” Kebja said. “As a result, we are also reviewing the new timeline for the fourth Estonia-Latvia connection.”
Based on the current assessment, investment decisions for both foreign connections could be prepared between 2030 and 2033, he said. Only then will Elering be able to make final decisions on building the connections.
Before an investment decision can be made, the necessary studies must be carried out, European Union co-financing secured, and planning and permitting procedures completed.
“An important prerequisite is also a socioeconomic analysis, which must confirm the project’s positive impact on society and the functioning of the regional electricity market,” Kebja added.
Estonia and Latvia are currently connected by three electricity lines, two of which were reconstructed as part of the Baltic states’ synchronization project. The fourth connection, which would run under the Baltic Sea between Saaremaa and the coast of Kurzeme, is expected to increase the system’s reliability and stability.
There are two undersea connections between Estonia and Finland. Planning activities for the Estlink 3 land section in Estonia began last September, and preparing the plans is expected to take up to two years. (ERR)