Finland’s transmission system operator Fingrid has identified five areas along the west coast where large offshore wind parks could be connected to the mainland’s grid by the 2030s.
These connections would require significant investments in the grid, said the TSO.
The identified preliminary areas are Ulvila, Närpiö, Vaasa, Raahe, and Raisio.
The Inkoo area has also been identified as a potential connection area if offshore wind power development becomes feasible in Finland’s southern sea areas.
Fingrid is seeking feedback from stakeholders on this study and their perspectives on defining more precise connection points until 23 June.
Several gigawatt-scale offshore wind projects are planned for Finland’s sea areas. The TSO has received inquiries regarding connections for up to 95GW of offshore wind power.
In the autumn of 2023, Fingrid initiated a study on offshore wind power connection possibilities to its grid in the 2030s.
The study differs from Fingrid’s baseline scenario with the assumption investments in wind will focus on the offshore at the transition from the 2020s to the 2030s due to factors such as economic viability and acceptability.
It is anticipated Finland’s electricity consumption will approximately double from current levels by 2035, especially driven by industrial growth. The total installed capacity of offshore wind power is expected to reach 6.5GW by the end of the 2030s, corresponding to slightly over 30TWh of annual production.
To implement these gigawatt-scale offshore connections, additional investments of approximately €0.6bn are needed beyond the €4bn investment programme described in Fingrid’s main grid development plan in 2023.
These necessary investments would be located in Central Ostrobothnia, Southwest Finland, and Uusimaa, covering approximately 1000km of new and reinforced 400kV power lines.
If offshore wind power development also becomes viable in Finland’s southern sea areas, connecting it to the grid would reduce the need for grid reinforcements instead of causing them, said the TSO.
Feedback on the study will be received through a consultation until 23 June.
More precise connection points will be defined based on stakeholder feedback and Fingrid’s internal detailed studies in the autumn of 2024.
Connection points will be reserved for individual customer projects as their development progresses. The TSO will be holding a stakeholder event on 22 May to discuss offshore wind power network connections.