The European Innovation and Networks Executive Agency (INEA), which is responsible for the allocation and execution of European Union co-financing, welcomes the progress and milestones of the Kurzeme Ring power project carried out by the Latvian transmission system operator Augstsprieguma Tikls (AST).

"The ambitious Kurzeme Ring project is very complex and our evaluation of the work carried out so far shows that the work is progressing according to plan and it can therefore be expected that the project will be concluded next autumn, as is intended," Ona Kostinaite-Grinkeviciene, the authorised representative of INEA, pointed out during the visit.

Representatives of INEA assessed the construction of the Kurzeme Ring project (European co-financing – 55,059 million EUR) in person, inspected a number of substations and the transmission line construction sites. Currently more than 62% of line pylons or 444 have been constructed and 113 km of conductors have been installed.

The reconstructed lines are mainly located on the route of the current 110 kV line. 110 kV circuits are gradually connected to the network after the construction of the next stage. However, operation of the 330 kV transmission line will only be started after all of the works are completed, as planned in 2019.

The new power transmission line will basically remain within the borders of the existing transmission lines. To provide the required distances from buildings, roads, crossed communications, nature protection territories and historic-cultural monuments in separate locations, the line may be constructed by forming a new route. In total the power line route will cross more than 1500 land properties.