On December 3rd in Brussels during PCI Energy Days took place a signature ceremony for a Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) 10 million EUR grant for studies for the Harmony Link interconnector (submarine HVDC cable) between Lithuania and Poland.
The funding will support the second phase of the project and includes the selection of the Harmony link route, a seabed survey of the route as well as the tender preparation for the design and construction phase. Once completed, the construction phase of the Harmony link will be launched.
The project is part of the synchronisation of the Baltic States' electricity grid with the continental European network. It is important in terms of security of supply and the development of a single European electricity market. For historical reasons, the Baltic States' electricity grid is still operated in a synchronous mode with Russian and Belarusian systems. This project will allow for the synchronous operation of the Baltic States' electricity network with European networks and thus enhance security.
Baltic energy market interconnection plan (BEMIP) is an EU initiative aimed at achieving an open and integrated regional electricity and gas market between EU countries in the Baltic Sea region, ending energy isolation. It has already facilitated electricity interconnections between Estonia and Finland (Estlink I and II), Latvia and Sweden (Nord Balt), and Lithuania and Poland (LitPol Link).
Sources:
https://www.litgrid.eu/#litpol_top
https://ec.europa.eu/energy/en/topics/infrastructure/projects-common-interest
Photo: PCI Energy Days, https://www.flickr.com/photos/147569106@N02/albums/with/72157712129568467