Estonian PHES
Construction of the 500MW Estonian Pumped-Hydro Energy Storage
EnergyEstonia
Estonia
- Estonian PHES supports decommissioning of the fossil fuel-based dispatchable power generation, energy transition in the Baltic Sea region and connection of the Baltic States’ power systems to European synchronous area.
As the ENTSO-E TYNDP project since 2012 and EU PCI project since 2013 the Project is to provide security of the electricity supply and flexibility to the Baltic region power system.
- The Project’s strong cross-sectoral nature is the basis for the emergence of an industrial cluster in the region and thus supports the realization of the investment opportunities in other business sectors.
The Project’s novel business model allows eliminate the geographic limitation as the biggest constraint in development of the pumped-hydro storage as the most efficient storage technology
The Project’s nominal designed power is 500MW (3 pump-turbine units, each 174MW nominal power, total pumping capacity 496 MWh/h, total generating capacity 522 MWh/h) with 12-hours storage capacity (6GWh per 1 cycle). The Project can be commissioned as well in 1 stage as multi-stage with no significant impact on investment cost. The planned commisioning of the Project is 2028 (full scale, 1-stage commissioning) or in 2026 (1st stage of multi-stage commissioning, 174MW, 1,4GWh).
The Project’s novel business model consists in combining deep granite mining and conventional pumped-hydro storage. There’re no terrestial geological reserves of high-quality chrystalline aggregates in the southern-eastern side of the Baltic Sea area. Therefore, lower quality gravel is used in road construction, which means less resource efficiency, and importing aggregates from Scandinavia, which means higher costs and carbon emissions due to transport of the aggregates. Construction of the lower caverns of the PHES in the chrystalline bedrock in depth of 600-650 m bsl. allows producing high quality aggregates, reduces significantly the PHES’s investment cost and serves as a basis for the emergence of an industrial cluster in the region. Water intake locates in Paldiski Bay nearby Paldiski North Port at the artificial island. Hydrological situation in the Paldiski Bay are in favor of execution of the Project – high water flow, low salinity (5psu), high water depth and limited sea life.
Power supply of the Project is considered via upgrading of the existing 110kV Keila-Paldiski OHL to 330kV OHL, spatial planning process is in progress.
The geological and hydrogeological conditions in the vicinity of the Project are suitable for construction of PHES and based on the multiple environmental impact assessment reports, spatial planning and superficies licencing processes, the Project is suitable for the existing environment.
- 2010 - 2023Planning
Environmental impact assessment has been approved.
The procurement documentation is being prepared with the aim of finding an EPC contractor, the exact type of contract is still being decided. Tender launch is to be expected in the third quarter of this year.
- 2023-2029Construction
650 mln euros will cover construction phase only, total amount is not known.
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