NordBalt

NordBalt
Name	NordBalt
Type	Subsea HVDC link
Country	Lithuania – Sweden
Start	Klaipėda
Finish	Karlshamn
Length km	440
Capacity MW	700
Voltage kV	300
Commissioning	2015

NordBalt NordBalt is a high-voltage direct current subsea interconnector linking Lithuania and Sweden via the Baltic Sea, designed to enhance energy exchange between Baltic states, Nordic countries, and the European Union. The project involved multinational partners including AB Lietuvos Energijos Gamyba, Fortum, Statkraft, Eesti Energia, and contractors such as ABB and NKT, and was coordinated alongside initiatives related to Synchronisation of Baltic States and European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity.

Overview

NordBalt was conceived to integrate the Lithuanian transmission network with the Swedish grid, complementing other regional projects such as LitPol Link and EstLink, and to support objectives set by the European Commission and ENTSO-E for regional market coupling and energy security. The link aims to facilitate power trade among markets like Nord Pool, meet targets associated with the EU 2020 strategy and the Renewable Energy Directive, and to provide resilience against events like disruptions similar to those affecting Kaliningrad Oblast energy exchanges.

Route and Infrastructure

The interconnector runs approximately 453 kilometres from a converter station near Klaipėda in Lithuania to a converter station near Karlshamn in Sweden, traversing seabed zones near Bornholm and passing close to exclusive economic zones of Poland and Denmark. The route required coordination with authorities such as the Lithuanian Maritime Safety Administration, Swedish Transport Administration, Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission (HELCOM), and consultations referencing marine areas like the Gotland Basin and Kattegat. Landfall works involved infrastructure adjacent to ports and transport hubs including Klaipėda Port and Karlshamn Harbour, with cable burial and protection measures coordinated with organizations like International Cable Protection Committee.

Technical Specifications

NordBalt is a 300 kV bipolar high-voltage direct current system with a nominal capacity of 700 MW, using voltage source converter technology supplied by ABB with modular converter stations featuring insulated-gate bipolar transistor valve stacks similar to installations at Sanchez-class projects. The subsea and underground cable system was manufactured by NKT and other suppliers, with single-core XLPE-insulated cables and mass-balanced return arrangements akin to designs used for Subsea Power Cables like Baltic Cable and Kontek. The project incorporated reactive compensation, harmonic filtering, and control systems complying with grid codes of Litgrid, Svenska kraftnät, and technical standards from International Electrotechnical Commission.

Construction and Commissioning

Construction contracts were awarded in a sequence to consortiums including ABB for converters and NKT for cable manufacture and laying, with marine installation by specialist vessels contracted from firms like PGS and DeepOcean and logistical coordination with ship registries in Lloyd's Register. Permitting involved agencies such as Lithuanian Environmental Protection Agency, County Administrative Board of Blekinge County, and transboundary consultations under Espoo Convention. Commissioning and testing followed procedures outlined by ENTSO-E and included factory acceptance tests, on-site commissioning, and trial operation before commercial operation in 2015, during which grid synchronization and protection settings were validated with system operators Litgrid and Svenska kraftnät.

Ownership and Operation

Ownership and commercial operation involve stakeholders including AB Lietuvos Energijos Gamyba (now part of Ignitis Group), Fortum (now part of Vattenfall-related interests in some portfolios), and transmission system operators Litgrid and Svenska kraftnät under agreements governed by frameworks from the European Commission and market rules of Nord Pool. Operational coordination covers capacity allocation, congestion management, and imbalance settlement interfaces with market participants like Statkraft, Eesti Energia, PGE, and power exchanges regulated by entities such as Lithuanian Energy Regulatory Council.

Economic and Environmental Impact

Economically, NordBalt has affected wholesale prices across regions including Lithuania, Sweden, Poland, and the broader Nordic-Baltic market by enabling increased imports and exports and by supporting investments in renewable projects such as offshore wind near Bornholm and onshore wind in Lithuania. The project was evaluated under cost-recovery and tariff frameworks influenced by the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators and national regulators including Ei and PSE. Environmentally, seabed surveys and environmental impact assessments addressed potential effects on habitats like posidonia-analogues, fisheries managed under European Fisheries Control Agency guidance, and protected areas designated under Natura 2000, with mitigation measures coordinated with HELCOM.

Incidents and Maintenance

During operation, NordBalt has required periodic maintenance, fault location, and repair operations similar to other subsea links like NorNed and BritNed, involving emergency response plans with marine contractors and insurers such as P&I Clubs and classifications from Det Norske Veritas. Reported incidents have included cable faults addressed by joint teams from Litgrid and Svenska kraftnät with logistical support from regional maritime authorities including Coast Guard (Lithuania) and Swedish Coast Guard, and maintenance cycles incorporate remote monitoring, subsea inspections by ROVs used by companies like Saipem and Subsea 7 and planned outages coordinated with market operators and national regulators.

Category:Submarine power cables in the Baltic Sea