Europe News

Latest news and developments from Europe

• Estonian government to compensate rise in renewable energy fee [free access]

  November 11, 2020
  The Estonian government has allocated EUR8 million to the state-owned transmission system operator (TSO) Elering to compensate an increase in the renewable energy charge payable by domestic and business consumers in 2021.

• Latvian TSO commissions 330 kV Riga CHP-2–Riga HPP line

  November 9, 2020
  The Latvian transmission system operator (TSO) Augstsprieguma Tikls (AST) has commissioned the newly built 330 kV electricity transmission line from the Riga thermal power plant (CHP-2) to the Riga hydro power plant (HPP), as well as the reconstructed sections of the existing 330 kV line from Riga CHP-2 to the Salaspils substation.

• Spanish TSO partners with GE Renewable Energy for g-3 technology substations

  November 4, 2020
  Spanish transmission system operator (TSO) Red Electrica De Espana S.A (REE) has awarded GE Renewable Energy's Grid Solutions with a contract for the supply of ten mobile substations for the Canary and Balearic Islands, including one sulfur hexafluoride (SF6)-free substation that will support Spain in its decarbonisation goals.

• Lithuania stops power trade with Belarus while Latvia and Estonia finalise bilateral methodology

  November 4, 2020
  According to Lithuanian transmission system operator (TSO) Litgrid, Lithuania has set zero capacity for commercial electricity flow from Belarus as Belarus has started electricity production at the Astravyets nuclear power plant (NPP).

• Croatian HOPS sign HRK49.9 million deal with local Koncar KET

  November 4, 2020
  The Croatian transmission system operator (TSO), Hrvatski Operator Prijenosnog Sustava D.O.O. (HOPS) has signed a HRK49.9 million contract with local Koncar Power Plant and Electric Traction Engineering Inc. (Koncar KET) company for the revitalisation of the central remote control of the elektroenergetski sustav (EES) or Electricity Power System.

• TenneT seeks contractor for maintenance of cable systems in Germany, Netherlands

  November 2, 2020
  The Dutch-German transmission system operator (TSO) TenneT has invited tenders for services related to cable repair and maintenance in both Germany and the Netherlands, which include locating cable faults. As reported, the services will be delivered across several grid connections and interconnectors.

• Dutch-German TSO awards ten contracts for offshore grid MWS services

  November 2, 2020
  The Dutch-German transmission system operator (TSO) TenneT has awarded ten framework agreements for marine warranty surveyor (MWS) services, which will support the realisation of several offshore grid connections in Germany and the Netherlands.

• Latvian TSO to invest in power supply upgrade in Vidzeme [free access]

  October 29, 2020
  Latvia’s state-owned transmission system operator (TSO) Augstsprieguma Tikls (AST) is planning to invest more than EUR50 million in the upgradation of power supply in Vidzeme, during 2020.

• Croatia’s Dalekovod to undertake 330 kV substation reconstruction in Macedonia

  October 28, 2020
  The Macedonian Transmission System Operator (AD MEPSO) has signed an agreement with Croatian engineering company Dalekovod for the reconstruction of the 400/110 kV Bitola 2 substation.

• Lithuanian TSO to stop importing electricity from Belarus in November 2020

  October 28, 2020
  Lithuania’s power transmission system operator (TSO) Litgrid will not be importing electricity from Belarus in November, after the start of electricity production at the Belarusian nuclear power plant (NPP).

• Austrian Administrative Court approves construction of 380 kV line in Salzburg

  October 26, 2020
  The Austrian Administrative Court (VwGH) has approved the construction of overhead 380 kV line in Salzburg.

• Danish NKT Cables upgrades HV link between Denmark and Sweden

  October 26, 2020
  The Danish supplier of power cable solutions, NKT Cables, has completed the replacement of four high voltage (HV) lines connecting the power grids of Sweden and Denmark since 1973.

• German and Danish TSOs inaugurate CGS project

  October 21, 2020
  German transmission system operator (TSO) 50Hertz and its Danish counterpart Energinet have inaugurated Combined Grid Solution (CGS), the world's first hybrid, offshore interconnector to link German and Danish offshore wind farms.

• Lithuanian TSO hires Sweden’s NKT HV Cable for NordBalt repair

  October 21, 2020
  Lithuania's transmission system operator (TSO) Litgrid has awarded a EUR17 million contract to Sweden’s NKT HV Cable for emergency repair services for the 450-km-long, NordBalt—a submarine electricity cable between Lithuania and Sweden.

• Latvia’s AST to invest EUR405 million in grid development during 2021-30

  October 20, 2020
  Latvia’s power transmission system operator (TSO) Augstsprieguma tīkls AS (AST) plans to invest EUR405 million in grid development during a ten-year period starting from 2021 to 2030. The document entailing the 10-year development plan has been approved by the country’s energy regulator Public Utilities Commission (PUC) or Sabiedrisko pakalpojumu regulēšanas komisijai (SPRK).

• UK’s National Grid energises 1GW IFA2 HVDC project [free access]

  October 19, 2020
  The UK power transmission system operator (TSO) National Grid has launched the 1,000 MW Interconnexion France-Angleterre (IFA2) high voltage direct current (HVDC) link project, aimed to link the UK and France.

• Finland’s TSO set to expand 400 kV Jylkkä substation

  October 19, 2020
  Finland’s electricity transmission system operator (TSO) Fingrid is set to undertake expansion of the 400 kV Jylkkä substation in Kalajoki with the addition of a third 400/100 kV transformer.

• Main contractors selected for UK’s first Greener Grid Park in Scotland

  October 15, 2020
  Europe’s largest producer of renewable energy, Statkraft, has awarded a contract to engineering company Powersystems UK to undertake electrical and civil engineering works for a GBP20 million grid project in Moray, Scotland to support further renewables’ integration.

• Nordic TSOs start preparation of NGDP 2021 [free access]

  October 14, 2020
  The four Nordic transmission system operators (TSOs)—Finland’s Fingrid, Sweden’s Svenska Kraftnat, Denmark’s Energinet and Norway’s Statnett—have started to prepare the Nordic Grid Development Perspective 2021 (NGDP 2021).

• Slovenia begins construction of 400 kV Cirkovce–Pince line

  October 14, 2020
  Slovenia's state-owned electricity transmission operator, Elektro-Slovenija, d.o.o. (ELES), has begun constructing the 80-km, 400 kV Cirkovce–Pince transmission line, which will enable the establishment of the first interconnection with the transmission grid of neighbouring Hungary.