A section of the 110 kV transmission line between Kittilä and Putkijänkä in Finnish Lapland has reached the end of its operational life, necessitating its renewal in order to ensure the long-term reliability of the grid. The aging infrastructure needs to be replaced while ensuring uninterrupted power delivery and minimizing the impact on the region’s sensitive natural environment.
Kittilän Alueverkko Oy has commissioned Omexom to execute a turnkey project for the renewal of approximately 16 kilometers of overhead transmission line. Omexom commenced its involvement at the initial stages, overseeing the comprehensive engineering and design of the new line to facilitate an efficient transition from planning to construction.
The new transmission line will be constructed primarily within the existing right-of-way, thereby minimizing additional land use and preserving the surrounding landscape. To ensure durability in the challenging conditions of northern Finland, the line will utilize steel tubular poles supported by guy wires along the entire route. Construction is scheduled to commence in November with foundation work, and project completion is anticipated by the end of summer 2027.
Once completed, the upgraded line will significantly improve the reliability of electricity transmission in the region. The new infrastructure will indeed reduce transmission losses compared with the existing line, allowing more of the electricity transported through the network to reach end users.
These upgrades come at a moment of accelerating pressure on Finland’s grid. Reliability remains exceptionally high, with Finland’s transmission grid reliability rate reached 99.99995% in 2025, the best result in its recorded history. The national electricity consumption is projected to quintuple by 2040, given the rising demand. This growth is being driven by data centers and hydrogen production across the region. Fingrid alone plans to invest EUR 5.2 billion in the transmission grid by 2035, its largest reinforcement program to date. Lapland in particular is expected to play a growing role in this transition: some projections see the region becoming a net electricity exporter, generating as much as 45 TWh of wind power annually by 2050.
Beyond its immediate effects, the project demonstrates how updating vital energy infrastructure may improve grid resilience and lessen environmental impact. The project illustrates a workable strategy for modernising ageing assets in environmentally sensitive locations by repurposing an existing transmission route and implementing robust, future-ready technology.
As utilities across Europe continue to modernize their networks, initiatives such as this one show how reliability, efficiency, and environmental stewardship can go hand in hand.
Read this article in Finnish: Omexom on valittu urakoitsijaksi 110kV voimajohdon saneeraukseen Lapissa
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