Location of fault in Estonia-Finland electricity cable found, no outside actor suspected

Elering has located the fault site of the Estlink 2 power cable between Estonia and Finland. Photo: Mihkel Maripuu

In cooperation with the cable manufacturer, Estonia's state-owned transmission system operator Elering has located the fault site of the Estlink 2 power cable between Estonia and Finland.

The fault site is located in the submarine portion of cable on land on the Estonian coast, and the malfunction is not a result of external intervention.

This is a geotechnically demanding area and a unique cable, which is why, according to the updated market announcement, Estlink 2 will remain out of operation until Aug. 31.

During the work to locate the fault site, which started at the end of January, the location now confirmed was one of the suspected points of fault. In parallel with the work to pinpoint the exact location of the fault, Elering started preparations in February, including design work, to speed up mending the cable at the site that has now been positively confirmed as the fault site.

Estlink 2 switched off in the first hour of Jan. 26. The approximate location of the fault on the Estonian coast was determined a few days later. Since then, a number of diagnostic methods have been used to determine the exact location.

Estlink 2, which has a capacity of 650 megawatts, was launched in 2014.