NordBalt Submarine Power Cable Shutdown for Repairs
The NordBalt submarine power cable shutdown will last about two and a half months as operators complete planned repairs. The 700 MW Lithuania-Sweden interconnector plays a key role in regional energy supply. However, repeated failures have forced operators to address critical infrastructure issues.
Cable Joint Failures Drive Repairs
According to The Baltic Course (https://www.baltic-course.com), repairs will focus on replacing faulty onshore cable joints. Lithuania’s transmission system operator Litgrid (https://www.litgrid.eu) reported 31 failures since the cable launched in February 2016. Notably, 12 incidents directly involved cable joints.
Crews will replace 22 joints in Lithuania and 98 in Sweden. As a result, operators expect improved system reliability once work finishes by the end of October.
NordBalt System and Technology Overview
ABB (https://global.abb), now part of NKT (https://www.nkt.com), supplied the NordBalt system. The project uses HVDC Light® technology, which supports efficient long-distance power transmission through submarine and underground cables.
The system includes:
- 2 x 400 km submarine cables across the Baltic Sea
- Underground cables on both sides: 40 km in Sweden and 13 km in Lithuania
- Converter stations in Nybro (Sweden) and Klaipeda (Lithuania)
Additionally, the system operates at 300 kV and connects asynchronous grids. Sweden runs at 400 kV AC, while Lithuania operates at 330 kV AC. Therefore, the HVDC system enables stable power exchange between the two countries.
Temporary Shutdown and Industry Response
Operators scheduled the shutdown to complete essential repairs. Meanwhile, NKT confirmed the outage but declined to comment on contract details or repair costs. Ultimately, the upgrade aims to reduce failures and strengthen long-term grid performance.
Learn more about Litgrid at https://www.litgrid.eu
Explore NKT at https://www.nkt.com
Visit ABB at https://global.abb
