Preparations for the repair of the Estonian-Finnish gas connection Balticconnector have progressed according to plan in cooperation between Elering and Gasgrid, and the repair work at sea is expected to start at the beginning of March.
The materials needed for the repair have been prepared and the key partners have been selected. The planned commissioning date of the gas connection is April 22, 2024, provided that the soon-to-be-started repair works can be carried out as planned. According to the current assessment, icy conditions do not prevent the work from being carried out.
The planned duration of the repair works is four weeks, after which Balticconnector will be inspected and commissioned. If the weather conditions become more difficult, the work will have to be paused, which may delay the completion of the repairs.
Elering and the Finnish system operator Gasgrid Finland closed the Balticconnector on the night of October 8, 2023, as the pressure in the gas pipeline began to drop rapidly, which indicated a leak from the pipeline. After a few days, it turned out that the gas pipeline has broken due to external damage in Finland's economic zone. The Finnish authorities have initiated a criminal investigation to clarify the circumstances of the case.
Balticconnector started at the beginning of 2020. The length of the underwater part of the Balticconnector from Paldisk in Estonia to Inkoon in Finland is 77 km.
See also, Gasgrid Finland's press release: Preparations for Balticconnector’s repairs progress on schedule
Source: Elering
