Balticconnector
Balticconnector connects the Estonian and Finnish gas networks and is a prerequisite for a functioning regional gas market and diversification of supply sources (LNG terminals, biomethane, etc.) in the Baltic-Finnish region.
The Estonian and Finnish natural gas transmission system operators Elering AS and Baltic Connector Oy are planning the Balticconnector, an international natural gas pipeline, to connect the Estonian and Finnish gas transmission systems.
The studies conducted have shown the great socio-economic benefits of the project for both parties and the other Baltic States.
Upon completion of the project:
- security of supply of natural gas will improve in both Estonia and Finland;
- a larger natural gas market covering Finland and the Baltic States will be formed with alternative supply channels, which will increase competition in the gas market;
- opportunities for using renewable energy (biomethane) will improve;
- the security of supply and delivery of natural gas in the Baltic-Finnish region will increase, giving natural gas equal opportunities to compete with other primary fuels;
- the integration of the common gas market covering Finland and the Baltic States with the single European Union market will improve when the Lithuanian-Polish gas interconnection GIPL is also completed;
- Finland will cease to be isolated from the natural gas transmission system of the rest of the European Union countries, which will ensure Finland’s access to underground gas storage in Latvia.
Balticconnector and the European Union
Balticconnector has been included as a priority project in the Trans-European Energy Network (TEN-E). According to the decision of the European Commission, the EU will finance the studies necessary for the construction of Balticconnector to the tune of 5.4 million euros. The financing agreement was entered into in the spring of 2015. In addition, Balticconnector has been included in the list of Projects of Common Interest (PCI) of the EU CEF aid package published in 2013 (Balticconnector project number: 8.1.1).
Additional information about the CEF aid package.
In the summer of 2015, Elering submitted an investment application, which is a prerequisite for receiving EU support for the construction of Balticconnector.
On 15 July 2016, the European Commission decided to co-finance the construction of Balticconnector at a maximum rate of 75 per cent and the reinforcement of the Estonian-Latvian gas connection accompanying Balticconnector at a rate of 50 per cent, for a total of 206 million euros. Commission press release.
Public discussions
No public discussions regarding the project are currently planned. All public consultations will be conducted in accordance with Regulation No. 347/2013.
Estonian-Latvian connection
The Balticconnector project also involves the expansion of the Estonian-Latvian connection, the project promoter of which is Elering AS. The project involves improving the connection pipeline between Estonia and Latvia, which includes the construction of a gas compressor station and a new gas metering station in Estonia.
The expansion of the Estonian-Latvian connection has also been included in the list of projects of common interest of the European Union (project number 8.2.2).
Videos
Videos
Construction of the Kiili gas pressure reduction station, May to October 2019
Landing of the Balticconnector submarine pipeline in Paldiski in June 2019
Lowering and drilling work in June 2019tööd juunis 2019
Lowering work in April 2019
Work at the Karksi gas metering station in March 2019
Drilling and lowering work in February 2019
Pipe transport and welding work in autumn 2018
Preparatory work for Balticconnector on the Pakri Peninsula on 7 September 2018
Installation work of the Lilli pipeline valve station and pipeline to reinforce the Estonian-Latvian connection on 26 August 2018
Unloading of Balticconnector onshore pipelines at the Port of Paldiski on 18 August 2018
Balticconnector and the Baltic-Finnish gas market/ 2016
Seabed survey for the construction of the Balticconnector from Paldiski to Inkoo/ 2013
Technical information
Technical information
The Balticconnector gas transmission pipeline consists of three parts: an onshore section in Estonia, a submarine section in the bottom of the Gulf of Finland, and an onshore section in Finland.
The length of the submarine section of Balticconnector from Paldiski in Estonia to Inkoo in Finland is 77 km. The gas pipeline enables the bidirectional movement of natural gas. The pipe, with a nominal diameter of 500 millimetres and a pressure of up to 80 bar, has a transmission capacity of 7.2 million cubic meters of gas per day, or 0.3 million cubic meters of gas per hour. The length of the onshore section of Balticconnector on the Estonian mainland from Kiili to Paldiski is 55 km and in Finland from Inkoo to Siuntio 21 km.
Natural gas compressor and metering stations must also be built in both Estonia and Finland to ensure bidirectional flow of gas.
Location of Balticconnector on mainland on the Estonian side
Attachments:
Preliminary building design documentation of the submarine section of Balticconnector 2016
Environmental impact assessment
Environmental impact assessment
The environmental impact assessment (EIA) procedure of the project was carried out in both countries, based on current legislation, and included the preparation of separate EIA reports in both Estonia and Finland. Pöyry Finland Oy was responsible for preparing the EIA report and Ramboll for the EIA programme.
The EIA report covers the natural gas pipeline from Inkoo to Paldiski. The information provided in the EIA programme has been used in preparing the EIA report, and the report assesses the environmental impact of the presented alternatives in Estonia.
Due to the international dimension of the project, the procedure was carried out in accordance with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context (Espoo Convention) and the bilateral agreement between Estonia and Finland on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context.
The aim of the environmental impact assessment was to provide information on the environmental impact of the planned activity and its realistic alternative options, as well as the possibilities for avoiding or minimising negative environmental impacts in Estonia and Finland.
Environmental impact assessment report 2016 (in estonian)
Environmental impact assessment programme 2014 (in estonian)
Summary of the environmental impact assessment programme 2014 (in estonian)
Spatial plans
Spatial plans
Keila city
Thematic plan for the pipeline location
The route selection that forms the basis of the thematic plan starts from the existing Tallinn–Vireši category D pipeline and ends at a gas compressor station planned on the shore of the Paldiski Peninsula, from which the pipeline to be installed on the seabed will continue to Finland. A pipeline diagnostics unit is planned to receive test equipment on the land area of the gas compressor station to be built in the territory of the city of Paldiski.
29 August 2006 – initiation
25 September 2012 – acceptance
18 December 2012 – establishment
- Explanatory memorandum (in estonian)
- SEA report Keila rural municipality, Keila city, Saue rural municipality (in estonian)
- Basic drawing (in estonian)
Keila rural municipality
Thematic plan for the pipeline location
The route selection that forms the basis of the thematic plan starts from the existing Tallinn–Vireši category D pipeline and ends at a gas compressor station planned on the shore of the Paldiski Peninsula, from which the pipeline to be installed on the seabed will continue to Finland. A pipeline diagnostics unit is planned to receive test equipment on the land area of the gas compressor station to be built in the territory of the city of Paldiski.
21 June 2006 – initiation
25 October 2012 – acceptance
27 March 2013 – establishment
- Explanatory memorandum (in estonian)
- SEA report Keila rural municipality, Keila city, Saue rural municipality (in estonian)
- Drawings: GE-2-11_Keila rural municipality, GE-2-12_Keila rural municipality, GE-2-14_Keila rural municipality, GE-2-15_Keila rural municipality, GE-2-16_Keila rural municipality, GE-2-17_Keila rural municipality, GE-2-18_Keila rural municipality
Paldiski city
Thematic plan for the pipeline location
The purpose of the thematic plan is to define the location of the natural gas pipeline and the protection zone for the pipeline on the administrative territory of the city of Paldiski. The thematic plan is in accordance with the first stage of the Harju County Plan established by Order No. 1682 of the Harju County Governor of 19 April 1999, which provides for the construction of a gas route from Saku to Paldiski through Saue and Keila rural municipalities and the city of Keila.
30 May 2006 – initiation
12 March 2010 – acceptance
22 December 2012 – establishment
- Explanatory memorandum (in estonian)
- Report on strategic environmental assessment (in estonian)
- Basic drawing (in estonian)
Additional information on the website of Paldiski city (in estonian).
Detailed spatial plan of the gas compressor station
The planning area is located in the city of Paldiski on unreformed state land between the T-8 Tallinn-Paldiski highway, the 110 kV Keila-Paldiski cable lines, the administrative border of Keila rural municipality and Paldiski city, and Ingeri road. The total size of the planning area is approximately 3.5 ha.
The area and purpose of the detailed spatial plan correspond to the location and planned activities of the gas compressor station defined in the thematic plan “Location of category D natural gas pipelines on the territory of the city of Paldiski”, which specifies the valid comprehensive spatial plan of the city of Paldiski established by decision No. 66 of the Paldiski City Council of 22 December 2011. Based on the above, the detailed spatial plan does not change the current comprehensive spatial plan.
The plan proposes to form two plots – one plot of production land, which has been assigned building rights for the construction of a gas compressor station and the buildings and civil engineering works servicing it, and one plot of transport land for access to the plot of production land.
The preparation of SEA was not initiated.
23 May 2012 – initiation
3 December 2013 – acceptance
20 October 2014 – establishment
Additional information on the website of Paldiski city (in estonian).
Saue rural municipality
Thematic plan for the pipeline location
On 20 December 2012, by decision no. 105, the Saue Rural Municipality Council established the thematic plan “Location of category D natural gas pipeline on the territory of Saue rural municipality”. The purpose of preparing the thematic plan is to determine the location of the Kiili-Paldiski category D natural gas pipeline route and to designate the protection zone for the pipeline on the administrative territory of Saue rural municipality. The approximately 9 km long section of the gas route planned on the territory of Saue rural municipality is part of the approximately 48 km long Kiili-Paldiski pipeline. The thematic plan seeks to partially amend the current comprehensive spatial plan of Saue rural municipality regarding the location of the gas pipeline, i.e. to plan the pipeline in the section between Keila and Saue cities along the Tallinn-Paldiski railway corridor instead of the Tallinn Ring Road route corridor. The thematic plan is a plan specifying the comprehensive spatial plan of Saue rural municipality established by Regulation No. 006 of the Saue Rural Municipality Council of 25 August 2005. The thematic plan is in accordance with the comprehensive spatial plan of Saue rural municipality established by decision No. 89 of the Saue Rural Municipality Council of 29 November 2012, which entered into force on 1 January 2013.
22 June 2006 – initiation
30 August 2012 – acceptance
20 December 2012 – establishment
- Explanatory memorandum (in estonian)
- SEA report – Keila city, Keila rural municipality, Saue rural municipality (in estonian)
- Joonised: GE-2-10_Saue rural municipality, GE-2-8_Saue rural municipality, GE-2-7_Saue rural municipality, GE-2-9_Saue rural municipality
Additional information on the website of Saue rural municipality.
Saku and Kiili rural municipalities
The location of the gas route on the territories of Saku and Kiili rural municipalities is determined by the comprehensive spatial plan.
Comprehensive spatial plan of Saku rural municipality (in estonian)
Comprehensive spatial plan of Kiili rural municipality (in estonian)