News & events

2013-05-17

Consultancy contract signed between LITGRID and Pöyry SwedPower AB in support of the Litpol Link project implementation

On the 17th of May in Vilnius, the Lithuanian electricity transmission system operator Litgrid and Pöyry (through its subsidiary Pöyry SwedPower AB, Sweden), an international consulting and engineering company, signed a contract for provision of technical and consultancy services to support Litgrid and the joint Lithuanian-Polish project development company LitPol Link Sp. z o.o. in the implementation of the LitPol Link interconnection project. The contract value is 980 thousands  litas.

The scope of the agreement includes technical consultations in implementation of the contract for the design and construction of the first High-Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) back-to-back converter in Alytus, signed between Litgrid and ABB AB (Sweden) earlier this year.

According to Virgilijus Poderys, the CEO of Litgrid the construction of this interconnection is a huge challenge for the Lithuanian power specialists, therefore it was decided to attract the acknowledged international expertise. “The LitPol Link power interconnection not only eliminates Lithuania energy isolation, but is the first step in order to integrate the Lithuanian electricity system with the Continental Europe,” said V. Poderys.   
 
The HVDC back-to-back converter station is the key element in the LitPol Link project. Other parts of the LitPol Link comprise the overhead electricity transmission line from Alytus substation to the Lithuanian-Polish border and the extension of the Alytus substation’s switchyard. The LitPol Link interconnection is scheduled to begin operations by the end of 2015.

Litgrid is implementing the strategic Lithuanian energy projects LitPol Link and NordBalt as part of the Baltic Energy Market Interconnection Plan (BEMIP) in order to connect the electricity transmission infrastructure of Lithuania and the three Baltic countries with the European power transmission systems. Litgrid is Lithuania’s electricity transmission system operator, managing the flow of electric power in Lithuania and maintaining the stable operation of the country’s electric energy system. Litgrid is responsible for the strategic electricity link projects with Sweden and Poland that are being conducted, developing the Lithuanian electricity market.

Pöyry is an international consulting and engineering company that delivers strategic advisory and engineering services, underpinned by strong project implementation capability and expertise.

The consultancy contract is financed from Ignalina International Decommissioning and Support Fund (IIDSF), which is administered by European Bank of Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The European Union together with 14 European governments set up the Fund (IIDSF) in 2001 at the EBRD. More than €750 million has been committed as contributions from the European Union, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom to the Fund for financing of projects in support of the decommissioning of the Ignalina nuclear power plant and energy sector projects which are consequential to the closure of the Ignalina plant.