The German company RWE has proposed financing of a transmission line that would link Russia’s Kola nuclear power plant with Finland. A protocol for the construction of the line between Kola and a Finnish substation at Pirttikoski was signed in Murmansk in December.
Preliminary estimates put the cost of the project at $120 million. This would be underwritten jointly by RWE and the Russian nuclear utility Rosenergoatom. The latter would also supply 500MW of power under a long term contract.
There is currently a lack of demand in the Murmansk region of Russia and the low capacity of transmission lines south of Kola has led to the shutting down of one unit at the plant. The power line to Finland, capable of exporting 4000 GWh each year, would help alleviate the economic difficulties caused by the low demand.
