Projected Repair Expenses for Estlink2 Power Cable Damage Range from €50 to €60 Million

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A recent publication by Helsinki Times reveals that Finnish authorities are wrapping up a nearly six-month examination into the damage inflicted on the Estlink2 electricity cable, which connects Finland and Estonia. This vital subsea cable was compromised on December 25, 2024, when investigators suspect that the tanker Eagle S, registered in the Cook Islands, dragged its anchor across the seabed.

Initially, nine crew members were identified as suspects by the Finnish National Bureau of investigation (KRP). However, five were later released along wiht the ship. Currently,three crew members from Georgia and India remain under scrutiny in Finland.The final report from this investigation is expected to be submitted to prosecutors shortly. The Eagle S is a crude oil tanker weighing 74,000 deadweight tonnes and was built in 2006. It has been linked to Russia’s “shadow fleet,” which operates to evade EU sanctions. Following its inspection post-incident, it was found to have numerous deficiencies—32 in total.

Authorities noted that this vessel had departed from Russia just days before causing damage to the cable.The anchor believed responsible for this incident was located on January 6 after being discovered on the seabed.

even though initially seized by finnish authorities for safety violations related to its operation during ongoing investigations,they decided to release it on March 2 after addressing these issues with relevant parties including Cook Islands officials and classification societies. The decision stemmed from high costs associated with keeping it detained—reportedly around €1 million for arrest guarantees plus considerable monthly expenses.

Legal experts highlighted that selling such a ship while litigation is pending would likely lead to critically important financial losses exceeding its market value.

In parallel developments, Fingrid—the national grid operator of Finland—and Elering of Estonia are moving forward with urgent repairs on the damaged Estlink2 cable. They anticipate repair costs will range between €50 million and €60 million; both nations have agreed to share these expenses without factoring in additional losses incurred due to downtime of electricity transmission during repairs.

Nexans has been contracted for repair work involving lifting sections of damaged cable off the seabed and conducting necessary tests before replacement begins. Actual repair operations kicked off on May 18 using a construction vessel named Deep Cygnus; about one kilometer of heavy-duty cable weighing approximately 80 kg per meter needs replacing—a task described as labour-intensive due to manual assembly requirements connecting old segments with new ones.

Fingrid’s Kimmo Nepola mentioned favorable weather conditions but acknowledged challenges posed by busy maritime traffic complicating operations further.An updated completion timeline is anticipated in June; however, efforts aim at restoring functionality by mid-July so that once repaired, this crucial link can operate reliably for an estimated four decades ahead.

The Estlink2 line became operational commercially back in February 2014 as part of an HVDC connection between Finland and Estonia following earlier establishment through Estlink1 completed eight years prior in 2006. Spanning roughly 170 kilometers—with about145 kilometers underwater—it supports power transmission capabilities reaching up towards650 megawatts capacity overall.

Previously encountered faults led Fingrid and Elering into costly repairs exceeding €30 million last august alone after another issue arose earlier this year requiring attention again soon thereafter.

To expedite current repairs without waiting indefinitely for specialized vessels typically used solely for laying cables—officials opted rather utilizing modified general-purpose construction ships ensuring timely restoration efforts could proceed uninterrupted throughout summer months ahead.

Additionally reported plans indicate potential legal action against Caravella LLC-FZ—the Dubai-based owner—to recover damages incurred during these incidents; experts suggest court proceedings may extend over several years necessitating upfront coverage initially borne out-of-pocket until services can be fully restored efficiently thereafter.