News & events

2012-03-05

Public Consultations on European Electricity Transmission Network Development Launched

On 1 March 2012, ENTSO-E, the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity, presented its Ten-Year Network Development Plan 2012 (TYNDP). The plan contains the electricity generation and consumption forecasts, descriptions of the key European power infrastructure projects, and market integration plans. Development of renewable energy sources as well as their integration into the power transmission system has been identified as the greatest challenge in the plan.
 
“The main domestic network development projects and the strategic projects on the power links with Sweden and Poland are among the plan’s priorities. This testifies to their importance not only for us, but also for the entire region,” says Virgilijus Poderys, CEO of electricity transmission system operator Litgrid. Litgrid is responsible for the implementation of strategic national energy projects, e.g. the NordBalt (Lithuania-Sweden) and the LitPol Link (Lithuania-Poland) international power links, as well as for the integration of the national energy system into the synchronous grid of continental Europe and the European internal market in electricity.

It has been estimated in the TYNDP 2012 that over 50,000 km of high-voltage power transmission lines will have to be constructed or reconstructed in Europe. These projects will require investments of over EUR 100 billion. The experience of the EU Member States shows that one-third of investments in network development are delayed due to prolonged permit issuance procedures; therefore, the plan proposes that the process should be centralised and that some infrastructure projects should be implemented in order of priority.

The TYNDP is prepared every two years. The TYNDP 2012 has been formulated based on the plan for 2010. Stakeholders may provide their comments on the TYNDP 2012 package by 26 April 2012.

ENTSO-E, which includes 41 transmission system operators (TSOs) from 34 countries, was established in December 2008. The TSOs are responsible for the transmission of the larger part of electricity via high-voltage networks, representing one of the main components of the European service and industry infrastructure.