VILNIUS, July 22 (Xinhua) -- The Lithuanian government on Wednesday approved a resolution to begin preparing an engineering infrastructure development plan for the 330 kV Varduva-Broceni electricity transmission line, marking the start of the project's territorial planning process.
The decision follows the government's recognition in June of the Lithuania-Latvia electricity interconnection reinforcement project as being of national importance.
The resolution sets out several planning objectives, including establishing guidelines for the expansion of electricity transmission infrastructure, strengthening electricity interconnections with neighbouring countries, determining the optimal route for the new transmission line, and reserving the land necessary for construction while ensuring sustainable infrastructure development.
Energy Minister Lukas Savickas said the new interconnection with Latvia would play an important role in strengthening Lithuania's energy security and bilateral cooperation.
"The Varduva-Broceni line will enable more efficient use of shared cross-border transmission capacity and create better conditions for the development of renewable energy," Savickas said.
The Varduva-Broceni line will become the fifth electricity transmission link between Lithuania and Latvia.
It forms part of the broader Lithuania-Latvia electricity interconnection reinforcement project in Lithuania, which has been designated as a project of national importance and is also included on the European Union's list of Projects of Common Interest (PCI).
Within Lithuania, the new 330 kV transmission line will extend about 10 km, running from the planned Varduva 330 kV substation to the Lithuanian-Latvian border. Construction is expected to be completed by 2032.
