The historic project is becoming a true infrastructure: it can already be said that the change is irreversible

On Tuesday, reporters learned of the course of work on the 41-kilometer 330-kilowatt airline that passes through Pastrėvis, Kietaviškės, Elektrėnai, Trakai, Old Trakai and Panerius.

“This is the third synchronization project to be completed. Synchronization is not just about building lines to connect to continental European grids. These are also the jobs that are needed to disconnect our system from the historic system, the BRELL ring ( Belarus, Russia, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania – Delfi). The first two projects have already been completed: the Pagėgiai line and the Bitėnai substation, ”said Ž. Vaičiūnas.

A total of 14 synchronization projects need to be implemented in Lithuania, including the construction of a maritime connection with Poland Harmony Link, the extension of the existing LitPol Link to synchronous operation, the installation of three synchronous compensators, the strengthening of internal networks and the improvement of information technology and systems management. .

Litgrid has already completed two of the 14 government-approved synchronization projects: last year the Bitėnai substation was expanded and this year a new 110 kV Pagėgiai – Bitėnai line was built.

According to Daivis Virbickas, director of Litgrid, the northeast Lithuania project is scheduled to be completed in the near future, which will mean that the country will be ready to separate from Belarus.

“We will have ordered the entire eastern border and will be ready to disconnect (or have someone disconnect) if necessary. We are now ready to disconnect the western border (with Kaliningrad – Delfi).

What was left for synchronization: Harmony Link had to be built by sea with Poland, and then came via Bitėnai and Jurbarkas to Marijampolė. There are also synchronous compensators in Nery, Alytus and Telšiai, a frequency management system that works in harmony with Western Europe, ”she said.

Ž. Vaičiūnas said that this week the decisions of the European Commission and Member States regarding the second stage of financing the synchronization project should be made clear.

“We are optimistic about the future,” he said. – I will pass on the projects that are being carried out to the next Minister of Energy. Today we are finishing the third, currently five more and six more are being implemented in the spatial planning stage ”.

The outgoing minister also said that a success story had been achieved in 2018-2019.

“We have such progress in the synchronization project that it can be said that it has already reached a certain phase of irreversibility. When it comes to financing, there are also issues of financial responsibility, where in the past we had to convince enough of both the EC and our partners Latvia, Estonia and Poland.

Now there is no need to convince, the technical work is underway. In practice, these political risks relate to the withdrawal of our Baltic States from the BRELL system. And to move to that phase, we need to complete our infrastructure. After that, we can talk about the disconnect with enough certainty, ”Ž said. Vaičiūnas.

Will strengthen Vilnius

The last reconstruction works are currently underway for the 330 kV Lietuvos Elektrinė – Vilnius overhead power transmission line from one circuit to a two circuit line. This change means that, in principle, the transformer substations at Elektrėnai and Trakai Vokė will no longer be connected by one, but by two lines.

At the end of the works, 4 of the 125 supports had to be built, as well as 7 km of wires. These works are scheduled to be completed in October and the entire project in December. The Vilnius reconstruction project started in the summer of 2016 and construction works started in early 2019.

A total of 19.2 million were invested. EUR (excluding VAT). The works are carried out by the company “A. Žilinskis and what ”.

Until the end of 2025, when the Baltic States separate from the so-called BRELL ring and connect to the grids of continental Europe, Vilnius will be surrounded by a 330 kV ring line, which will guarantee security of supply to the capital.

“The project shot two bunnies in one go: it increased Vilnius’ electricity needs and prepared them for synchronization,” said D. Virbickas.

He also recalled that Vilnius now “feeds” on Molodechno in Belarus and on Neris in Nemenčinė.

“The Neris-Vilnius line will be in 2025. Now a second line has been built between the Lithuanian power station and Vilnius (there are two lines on one pole). This practice is common, for example in Germany you can also see four lines in a column. Yes, the route is the same, but there are two lines, “said the head of Litgrid.

As you can see on the map, the red lines are the 110 kV lines that surround the capital.

“These are blood vessels and the large arteries come from the Lithuanian power station (in Elektrėnai), from Molodechno in Belarus and from Ignalina (and the same Lithuanian power station),” said D. Virbickas.

As you know, until now, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, together with Russia and Belarus, operate in the so-called BRELL ring, where the frequency of electricity is centrally regulated in Russia.

The Baltic States intend to join continental European networks and begin operating in synchronous mode with Poland, Germany and other continental European countries in 2025.