Lattice towers with ArcelorMittal steel angles for the power line interconnection Poland - Lithuania

The construction of the power line interconnection between Poland and Lithuania is a crucial element for the creation of a common European energy market. ArcelorMittal supplied steel angles for the construction of the transmission line's lattice towers in the 112 km section from the Polish town of Ełk to the Lithuanian border.

Detailed information

Ensuring & securing energy supply

The aim of this new power line is to connect the Polish and the Lithuanian transmission systems in order to achieve effective operation, further develop the energy market, and reduce the isolation of some regions as well as ensure the security of energy supplies. The project also includes the reinforcement and modernisation of the transmission network in north-eastern Poland to guarantee quality improvement, reliability of electricity supply to the consumers, and the security of the energy supplies. In the future, this will allow the integration of all Baltic states' power networks with the networks of the Western European countries to close the so-called Baltic Ring.

The project consists of the construction of four new 400 kV overhead power transmission lines with a total length of 400 km and seven electrical substations - five new and two existing ones that were modernised. The investments on Polish territory amount to 450 million Euro (1.8 billion PLN). The project is funded by the EU Infrastructure and Environment Programme. On Lithuanian ground, the transmission line goes from the border with Poland to the city of Alytus.

Transmission towers with ArcelorMittal steel angles

ArcelorMittal supplied steel for the lattice towers on the 112 km long section between the Polish Ełk Bis power station and the country's border. This double circuit line passes through ten municipalities in Poland and connects with the Lithuanian transmission system, continuing on Lithuanian ground another 50 km to the Alytus power station.

ArcelorMittal worked in close collaboration with the engineering company Energoprojekt Kraków SA to jointly create this new series of lattice towers. These new EA-33 towers were specifically developed to cover long distances and employ large equal L300 angles, produced at the ArcelorMittal Differdange plant in Luxembourg. ArcelorMittal supplied a total of 1200 t of L300 angles and another 18 000 t of different steel sections (also mainly angles) for the towers' load bearing columns.

298 lattice towers of the series EA-33 were used in the project. The height of the towers varies from 70 m up to over 90 m. The tonnage of a single column varies between 21 and 110 tonnes.

The biggest columns consist of over 20 tonnes of L300 angels, which are mainly used at the bottom parts of columns, facing the biggest forces.

The distance between the towers range from 350 m to 450 m, and the power lines are installed at a minimum height of 13.4 m. This height allows safe operation even for large agricultural machinery. The line area is 70 m - 35 m on each side of the axis. In this area, the land use is restricted.

Construction of the section Ełk Bis to the Polish border started in 2013 and was completed at the end of 2015.

Project information

  • Poland
  • 2013 - 2015
  • Engineering office:
    Energoprojekt Kraków SA
  • Client:
    Polskie Sieci Elektroenergetyczne S.A.
  • Contractor:
    ENPROM Sp z o.o. & IDS-BUD S.A.
  • Photographer:
    Krzysztof Chrobak/LitPol Link Sp. z o.o.