Final approval for critical 400kV interconnector in Sweden

After years of criticism and deepening conflicts, one of the major problems for Scandinavian electricity trading is set to be solved following the approval of a 400kV connector in southern Sweden.

BY MAZ PLECHINGER, TRANSLATED BY CHRISTOFFER ØSTERGAARD

Published: 24.01.22 at 11:55

This winter, Sweden’s neighbors finally ran out of patience. Both the Danish and the Finnish utility regulators vetoed yet another Swedish application for exemption from making its widely insufficient electricity grid available, as demanded by the EU, while Norway took even tougher measures. TSO Statnett opted to repay in kind, cutting down on capacity on the Norwegian side.

While it’s uncertain whether the neighboring countries’ pressure has played a part, the fact remains that one of the key issues is now set to be solved at long last. Swedish TSO Svenska Kraftnät has been authorized to set up a new 400kV connector east of Gothenburg, the site of the large southern bottleneck in the Westcoast Corridor. Even though the connector won’t be online until 2025, the move is welcomed by neighboring countries.

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