Energy interconnection
between Lithuania and Poland
Project works
Project works in progress
On August 30, 2011, the Minister of Energy of Lithuania approved the special plan for the construction of 400 kV overhead transmission line from Alytus station to the border of Republic of Lithuania. The track of the line on Lithuanian side is therefore finally approved.
The approval of the special plan allows to initiate the next stages of the realization of the project: designing and construction.
The agreements concerning right of way with land owners in Lithuania are being signed, so far over 80% of all servitude agreements have been signed.
On the Polish side, the preparation of the report on the Environmental Impact Assessment together with the biodiversity investigations for the construction of the 400 kV connection Ełk – Republic of Poland’s border and the reconstruction of the Ełk substation is in progress. The experts finished the field studies for various fauna and flora species, analyzed the possible route variants and presented the route tracks which minimize the effects on human and natural environment. The biodiversity investigations for new 400 kV Ełk Bis switchgear are also conducted.
A contractor responsible for acquiring of the building permit for the construction of double circuit 400 kV line from Ełk to border of Poland was selected and started his work. The contractor, Eltel Networks Rzeszów S.A., will be responsible for preparing construction permit design, documents related to territorial planning, acquiring of EIA decision, servitudes and construction permit.
The company meets regularly with all the stakeholders of the project: local administration representatives, environmental organizations and inhabitants of the regions where the line will be situated. Presentation of the project for the local community was recently organised in Poland during the Harvest Festival in Sejny on September 11, and similar events are planned for the Lithuanian side in Alytus and Lazdijai regions.
LitPol Link together with the transmission system operators of Lithuania and Poland, Litgrid AB and PSE Operator S.A. supervise the issues concerning the financial side of the project. Works in Lithuania are partly financed with the Ignalina International Decommissioning Fund (IIDSF), which is administrated by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
Project‘s works in Poland are planned to be financed from the Infrastructure and Environment Operational Programme from the EU regional funds for Republic of Poland. In both countries, the preparation of the project was supported by European Commission’s Directorate-General for Energy, which allocated grants within the frame of the Trans-European Energy Network (TEN-E) funds.
On February 21, 2012 the winner of the tender for acquiring of the building permit for the reconstruction of the 330 kV switchyard in Alytus was selected. The selected contractor is a consortium of companies: URS Polska Sp. z o.o. (Poland), UAB Energetikos projektai (Lithuania) and URS Scott Wilson Ltd. Filialas (Lithuania). The contractor will develop the technical design for the reconstruction and extension of 330 kV switchyard, technical specifications and rough breakdown of costs for the tender of the construction contractor. The contractor will carry out geological, geodesic and archaeological surveys, including topography. He will acquire the construction permit and will conduct a supervision of building design implementation as well as other needed works.
