| NordBalt | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Country | Lithuania, Sweden |
| Coordinates | |
| General direction | east–west |
| From | Klaipėda |
| Passes through | Baltic Sea |
| To | Nybro |
| Ownership information | |
| Partners | Litgrid Svenska Kraftnät |
| Construction information | |
| Manufacturer of conductor/cable | ABB |
| Manufacturer of substations | ABB |
| Expected | 2015 |
| Technical information | |
| Type | submarine cable |
| Type of current | HVDC |
| Total length | 450 km (280 mi) |
| Power rating | 700 MW |
| AC Voltage | 330 kV 400 kV |
| DC Voltage | ±300 kV |
| Number of poles | 2 |
NordBalt (also known as SwedLit) is a planned submarine power cable between Klaipėda in Lithuania and Nybro in Sweden. The aim of the project is to promote trading between Baltic and Nordic electricity markets, as also to increase the security of power supply in both markets.
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The project was originally suggested in 2004. Original project Swindlit was aimed at construction of the wind farm in the Baltic Sea and ensuring the electricity transmission therefrom to Sweden and Lithuania. The participants of this project were interested also in Kruonis Pumped Storage Plant as an accumulator of unpredictable wind energy.
In August 2006, the Lithuanian and Swedish transmission grid operators Lietuvos Energija and Svenska Kraftnät agreed to launch a feasibility study of a possible interconnection.[1] In February 2007, Lietuvos Energija and Svenska Kraftnät signed an agreement with Swedish consulting company SWECO International on preparation of feasibility study. The study was completed in March 2008 with positive conclusions for the implementation of the project.[2]
On 9 July 2009, Lietuvos Energija, Latvenergo and Svenska Kraftnat signed a memorandum of understanding on the NordBalt project.[3] Invitation for pre-qualification for NordBalt converters' and cable procurement was launched in December 2009.[4] The sea bottom survey was conducted by Marin Mätteknik by 13 December 2009.[5] On 17 December 2010, Litgrid, a newly established transmission system operator of Lithuania who took the project over from Lietuvos Energija, and Svenska Kraftnät, signed a €270 million contract with ABB according to which ABB will manufacture the cable.[6] According to another contract, signed on 20 December 2010, ABB will supply two converter stations.[7]
The interconnection would be high-voltage direct current cable. The length of the cable will be 450 kilometres (280 mi), of which 400 kilometres (250 mi) is the submarine cable, 40 kilometres (25 mi) is the land cable in Sweden, and 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) is the land cable in Lithuania. Its capacity will be 700 MW.[8] The cable is expected to be commissioned in 2016.[9] It is expected to cost €580 million, of which the submarine cable costs €270 million.[6][7] €175 million is provided by the European Commission.[3]