A power transmission link between Finland and Estonia was shut down on Christmas Day due to a suspected fault, leaving one of the region’s key electricity connections offline.
The Estlink 2 connection, which carries most of the power from Finland to Estonia, suddenly went dark at 12:26 pm. Finnish grid operator Fingrid said the cause of the outage is still under investigation and that the possibility of sabotage cannot be ruled out. However, the company remains cautious and will provide further information once the cause is identified.
The transmission line’s failure does not affect Finland’s electricity supply, according to Prime Minister Petteri Orpo. Authorities are taking a diligent approach to investigate the matter, while also ensuring that power continues to flow through other connections.
Industry experts agree that the break in Estlink 2 will not significantly impact the price of electricity on Thursday. The transmission link is used for both import and export purposes, but its failure has been largely mitigated by another operational connection.
Determining the cause of the outage is proving to be a complex task. Fingrid’s Operations Manager Arto Pahkin stated that teams are examining both the substation and the sea area where the cable meets the sea. The investigation will also look at the subsea cable itself, as well as both Finnish and Estonian ends.
The Estlink 2 connection is essential for maintaining the European electricity system’s effectiveness. Fingrid emphasized that all cross-border connections are crucial to ensure smooth operations.
Earlier this year, Estlink 2 underwent several months of maintenance-related closure, but it has since resumed normal operations. The subsea cable’s transmission capacity stands at 650 megawatts, while its sister connection Estlink 1 operates at 350 MW.
Source: https://yle.fi/a/74-20133467