Power outage investigation launched in Finland after undersea cable disruption on key interconnector with Estonia.
Undersea Power Cable Outage in Finland-Estonia Link
Finland’s Prime Minister Petteri Orpo announced on Wednesday that authorities are investigating an undersea power cable outage on the Estlink 2 interconnector, which connects Finland and Estonia.
The unplanned break in service occurred at 1026 GMT, reducing available capacity to 358 megawatts (MW) from its installed capacity of 1,016 MW. According to Fingrid, the operator behind the interconnector, the outage did not affect Finland’s electricity supply.
Fingrid control room manager Arto Pahki stated that an investigation into the incident has been initiated. The interruption was part of a series of outages affecting power cables, gas pipelines, and telecom links in the Baltic Sea region over recent years. While subsea cables are also susceptible to technical malfunctions and accidents, authorities have been on high alert for potential acts of sabotage.
The Estlink 2 interconnector plays a crucial role in transmitting electricity between Finland and Estonia. Prior to the outage, electricity was flowing at a rate of 658 MW from Finland to Estonia. The incident highlights the importance of maintaining reliable power infrastructure and underscores the need for continued vigilance in ensuring the security and integrity of such critical systems.
