ABB Integrates Baltics with European Grid

ABB has commissioned and handed over a high-voltage power transmission link to the Lithuanian transmission system operator Litgrid. The LitPol Link is the final step of the European Union’s Baltic Ring initiative to interconnect the grids of nine countries around the Baltic Sea: Lithuania, Poland, Germany, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Estonia and Latvia.

ABB’s high-voltage direct current (HVDC) link, which connects the power grids of Lithuania and Poland, enables power trading between the two countries, and strengthens and secures power supply in the region by opening up new cross-border energy sources. Pooling the diverse power resources of different countries brings numerous advantages. In times when one resource is in short supply or expensive, power can be generated and shared from other resources that are more available and less expensive, while peak demands in different regions can be covered by shifting power through the Ring. Until now, the Lithuanian electricity system had only been connected with the grids of Latvia, Estonia and the countries to the east. The LitPol Link is ABB’s 15th interconnection in the Baltic region alone.

The 500 megawatts interconnection deploys ABB’s HVDC technology in a “back-to-back” solution, which enables electricity to be transmitted between the two grids. A conventional alternating current (AC) connection would not be feasible as the Lithuanian and Polish power grids are not synchronized. HVDC technology overcomes this constraint and will provide additional capabilities such as power reversal on-demand – which enables trading and power compensation to reinforce the AC grid and enhance stability. Advanced control and protection features will enhance grid reliability and efficiency, bringing benefits to the owner, operator and consumers.

“The LitPol Link helps interconnect the Baltic region, improving power security and grid reliability while paving the way for power trading” said Patrick Fragman, Managing Director of ABB’s Grid Systems business, part of the company’s Power Grids division. ”The completion of this link reinforces our focus on efficient project execution as well as on our leading technologies to deliver enhanced customer value, in line with our Next Level strategy.”

For the LitPol Link, ABB was responsible for the design, engineering, supply, installation and commissioning of the converter station, including high-voltage equipment, power transformers, thyristor valves. The solution also incorporates the leading-edge MACH (Modular Advanced Control for HVDC) control system – the most widely deployed control technology in the world for HVDC and FACTS (Flexible Alternating Current Transmission Systems).