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EU funding for construction of electricity power line from Ełk Bis station to Polish-Lithuanian border granted

14 May 2014, 13:07

EU funding for construction of electricity power line from Ełk Bis station to Polish-Lithuanian border granted
The European Commission confirmed the grant-aid for the construction of 400 kV power transmission line from Ełk Bis to the Polish border (towards Alytus) from the Infrastructure and Environment Programme. This means that all tasks related to the construction and modernisation of power transmission infrastructure under the project devoted to the construction of power interconnection between Poland and Lithuania which have been qualified for EU financial support will receive funding. The total funding allocated by the European Commission amounted to about PLN 767.87 million.

Double-circuit 400 kV overhead line between Ełk Bis and the Polish border, with the length of about 112 km will run through two voivodeships: Podlaskie Voivodeship and Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship towards Alytus substation in Lithuania. Due to different parameters of Polish and Lithuanian energy transmission systems it is necessary to build a back-to-back converter station, which would allow two unsynchronised transmission systems to be connected. This investment will enable electricity transmission of electricity between Poland and Lithuania, thus contributing to the elimination of obstacles for the European energy market and the European Transmission System by closing the so-called Baltic Ring.

The power interconnection between Poland and Lithuania encompasses 11 simultaneous investment projects in Poland. Power transmission lines and electrical substations are being constructed and modernised in Masovian, Podlaskie and Warmian-Masurian Voivodeships.

  • 4 400 kV power transmission lines with the total length of about 400 km. 400 kV line Ostrołęka-Łomża-Narew is at the final stage of construction. Its completion is planned for the late 4th quarter of 2014.

    The remaining investments concerning power lines are to be completed by the end of 2015.

  • 7 electrical substations – 5 new and 2 modernised

    The construction of Ołtarzew substation is complete and the substation is operational. The formal inauguration took place on 22 April, with the presence of Mr Janusz Piechociński – Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Economy.

Advanced construction works take place at the remaining substations. The construction of Łomża substation and modernisation of Narew substation are to be completed in the 4th quarter of 2014. The completion of all investments concerning substations is planned for the 1st or 2nd quarter of 2015.

On the national scale, the project will contribute to the development of the National Transmission Network in north-eastern Poland, thus contributing to the improved functioning and security of the National Power Transmission System and the power transmission capacity of transboundary connections.

The total value of all investments which constitute power interconnection between Poland and Lithuania in Poland amounts to ca. PLN 1.8 billion.

In Lithuania over fifty kilometres (51 km) of 400kv overhead power lines will be built between the Polish border and Alytus substation. What is more, a 500 MW back-to-back module will be constructed at the substation, which will enable transmission systems of Poland and Lithuania to be connected and a 400 kV distribution board that allows connection from Poland. Moreover the whole 330/110/10 substation in Alytus is being modernised. The formal inauguration of construction in Lithania took place on 5 May 2014. The works in Lithuania are to be completed by the end of 2015.