OREANDA-NEWS. March 12, 2010. Lietuvos Energija launched a tender for procurement of equipment for 330 kV Bitenai switchyard and construction work. The new switchyard will be constructed in Pagegiai local government, Bitenai village. It will interconnect 330 kV overhead lines Klaipeda-Sovetsk and Jurbarkas-Sovetsk.

The tender is to be finalized in May and already by the end of this year the switchyard is scheduled for launching into operation. Total estimated value of the investment project – LTL 16 million.

Scope of procurement includes equipment, requisite for the site’s construction, structures and materials, design, mounting, installation, tune up, configuration, testing and construction work.

“Bitenai 330 kV switchgear is important not only in terms of electricity system‘s security, but also in terms of Lithuania‘s pursuit of energy independence, while the project‘s implementation deadline is very ambitious“, says Mr. Valdas Bancevicius, Director of Technologies, Lietuvos Energija.

According to him, the interconnection of lines, stretching from Lithuania to Sovetsk will boost the reliability of electricity supply to western Lithuania and ensure electricity flow from generation sources in Lithuania to and from Klaipeda direction upon construction of power interconnection with Sweden.

At the moment a detailed plan of 330 kV Bitenai switchgear is under preparation, the completion of which is scheduled in July.

This project is implemented in line with the National Energy Strategy of the Republic of Lithuania, approved in January, 2007.

Lietuvos Energija is the owner of electricity transmission (110-330 kV) grid and through its daughter companies performs the activities of electricity transmission operator, market operator and other activities in the field of electric power.