The next power cable between Finland and Estonia will be buried deeper into the bottom

In Estonia and Finland, planning has begun for the laying of a third power cable between the countries for the supply of electricity. The Elering operator said that they plan to bury it in the Baltic Sea in order to avoid cliffs due to ship anchors.

"Planning of the third underwater electric cable between Estonia and Finland, the EstLink 3 project, is gaining momentum. Although the implementation of the project is at an early stage, both environmental and security issues are already being taken into account, including possible acts of sabotage," the Estonian ERR reports.

The head of development of the Estonian operator Elering, Priit Heinla, said that the site for laying the underwater cable in Estonia is selected in the Aulepa area, where trawling is actively conducted.

According to Heinl, if during public discussions it turns out that the cable route needs to be shifted, Elering will meet halfway.

"We want to lay the cable as far west as possible in order to leave a buffer between the new and existing connection, and thus reduce risks. The possibility of deepening the cable for greater protection is also being considered. The specific safety measures depend on the geology and will be clarified later," said Priyt Heinla.

The third power cable, EstLink 3, between Finland and Estonia plans to lay no later than mid-2030.

In recent years in Finland and Estonia was told about two power cable breaks in the Baltic Sea, in which ships are suspected. They could lower the anchor and drag it along the bottom of the sea. In the first case, it was a Chinese cargo ship. Secondly, they suspect a tanker that transported gasoline from Russia. The last vessel was detained immediately after the cliff in December 2024, but was released a few months later, leaving several crew members in custody. Restoration work is still underway on the cable and there are no supplies on it. Despite the statements of politicians about the Russian trace, the investigators found no confirmation.