Preparations begin for environmental impact assessment of Estonia-Latvia submarine cable

TALLINN - Estonia's transmission system operator Elering has submitted the environmental impact assessment (EIA) program for the planned marine section of the Estonia-Latvia electricity interconnection to the Estonian Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority (TTJA) for approval.

This new cross-border electricity connection will be the fourth between Estonia and Latvia. The marine section will start in southwestern Saaremaa and extend to Latvia. The submarine cable will consist of up to three 330-kilovolt alternating current power cables and one fiber-optic communication cable, with a transmission capacity of up to 1000 megawatts (MW).

To ensure a thorough impact analysis, the process will include a wide range of studies and expert assessments, covering underwater archaeological surveys, unexploded ordnance detection, seabed geology and sediment composition, water quality and suspended matter dispersion, marine life, habitats, and bird populations, underwater noise, electromagnetic fields and thermal radiation, impacts on fisheries and maritime transport, effects on protected natural areas and objects, and climate impact assessments.

All studies will be carried out by sectoral experts. The EIA program will be prepared by Skepast&Puhkim OU, the developer and the applicant for the building permit is Elering, and the procedure will be organized and decided by the TTJA. As this is a cross-border connection between two countries, the cross-border impact during the installation and operation of the submarine cable will also have to be assessed. The procedure and involvement in the cross-border EIA will be led by the Estonian Ministry of Climate.

The program is available for public consultation on the TTJA website. Proposals and comments can be submitted from July 7 to 28. A public hearing to present the program and discuss the proposals will be held on August 7 from 4 to 6 p.m. at Lumanda House in Saaremaa.

Once the EIA program has been approved, separate public procurement procedures will be launched to carry out the studies and prepare the EIA report. The report is expected to be completed in 2027.