The Imatra hydroelectric power plant began operating in 1929, along with the Imatra substation, which was the first substation on Finland’s main grid. The first transmission line on the main grid went from Imatra to Vyborg and onwards to Helsinki and Turku via Hikiä. In 2020, Fingrid commissioned a new substation in Imatra and began modernising the Imatra–Huutokoski transmission line.
The Forest Line, which runs from Muhos near Oulu to Petäjävesi in Central Finland, has been under construction since the autumn of 2019. The line will be completed in 2022, and it will be particularly significant in ensuring that Finland remains a single pricing area.
The work to upgrade the Lake Line from Oulu to Lappeenranta to a 400-kilovolt transmission line began in the summer and autumn with the planning of environmental impact assessments (EIAs). The first projects to be assessed are the Vaala–Joroinen project and the Rovaniemi–Vaala project further north.
Fingrid currently has around 30 substation projects in progress in various parts of Finland. The construction of wind power and customers’ connection projects are the driving forces behind these investments. Fingrid’s first digital substation is under construction at Pernoonkoski in Kotka.
The load capacity of transmission lines varies depending on the weather conditions. Fingrid’s Dynamic Line Rating project, which began last year, seeks to measure this load capacity and take all of the available thermal transmission capacity in the built network into use.
When French renewable energy expert Neoen wanted to build the Nordics’ largest battery storage unit in Finland, Fingrid was ready and eager to lend a hand. Neoen was looking for a suitable plot and the Finnish TSO had a handy solution available.
One of Fingrid’s duties is to connect new, high-capacity power plants to the main grid. The company has made careful preparations for the grid connection of Olkiluoto 3, one of the world’s largest power plant units. The final phase of these preparations includes the implementation of OL3 system protection, which will ensure that the power system functions reliably under all circumstances once the power plant is ready.
Risto Uusitalo, who supervises the work on the Forest Line transmission line worksite, spends his days meeting contractors and conducting site inspections in the field. Many of his colleagues are also familiar with Risto’s dog, Ilona, who sometimes accompanies him on-site. This is the first in a new series of articles about “Professional in the spotlight”.
The new control centre buildings are beginning to resemble family homes in terms of their technical building services and energy efficiency. The buildings are equipped with toilets, small kitchens, heating, ventilation and lighting.
Fingrid, Outokummun Energia and PKS Sähkönsiirto are together realising a solution for reducing the number of outages caused to customers on long main grid lines by more than half.
Fingrid Oyj
Läkkisepäntie 21
00620 Helsinki
Tel. 030 395 5267
Fingrid.fi
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Fingrid is Finland’s transmission system operator. We secure reliable electricity cost effectively for our customers and society, and shape the clean, market-oriented power system of the future.
