Balticconnector gas interconnection to be completed by beginning of 2020
Based on the current schedule, the Estonian-Finnish Balticconnector gas interconnection currently under construction should be completed and ready to begin work as of the beginning of 2020. Balticconnector will begin serving the joint Finnish-Estonian-Latvian gas market.
The maximum technical capacity of the Balticconnector interconnection will be 81.2 gigawatt-hours of gas per day, transmission system operator Elering said.
The capacity granted to the market for the 2020 winter-spring period may be in the range of 28.4-39 gigawatt-hours per day from Estonia to Finland and 42.2-58.5 gigawatt-hours per day from Finland to Estonia; the exact capacity will depend on the operational situation in the gas system as well as technical developments in the Balticconnector project.
The volume of the Finnish-Estonian-Latvian gas market is approximately 40 terawatt-hours per year.
This February, the three countries' respective system operators signed an agreement to establish a joint Finnish-Estonian-Latvian regional gas market.
According to the agreement, beginning next year, gas will move between Finland, Estonia and Latvia at no additional cost. This will make the market more attractive to potential gas traders, and closer competition should also ensure more favorable gas prices for consumers.
Editor: Aili Vahtla
