Finland’s gas transmission network

Finland’s current gas transmission network is approximately 1,250 km long and is located in Southern Finland, with the exception of the Tampere pipeline branch. The high-pressure gas transmission network consists of interconnected natural gas pipes and related equipment intended for natural gas transmission or distribution.

Finland’s gas transmission platform includes one interconnection point, Balticconnector, which connects the Finnish and Estonian transmission pipelines. Due to military operations, EU sanctions and contractual disagreements related to Russian natural gas imports to Finland, natural gas imports to Finland via the Imatra border point ended on 21 May 2022.

During 2022, two LNG terminals were connected to our transmission network: the Hamina and Inkoo LNG terminals. In addition, renewable gases are fed into the Finnish gas system through several renewable methane production plants.

Our transmission pipeline is made of steel pipes, whose diameter varies between 10–100 cm in different parts of the transmission network. The most common diameter for pipes in the transmission network is 50 cm. The oldest sections of the transmission pipeline were taken into use in 1974. The transmission pipeline network also includes a 77-km-long offshore steel pipeline from Paldiski, Estonia, to Inkoo, Finland, which is jointly owned with the Estonian transmission system operator for electricity and gas, Elering. The gas pipeline can be operated in both directions.

Compressor stations

Compressor stations are used to raise gas pressure, which increases the transmission capacity of the gas network. Our compressor stations (located in Imatra, Kouvola and Mäntsälä) have turbine-operated compressor units with a total combined shaft power of 54 MW. In addition to these, Gasgrid Finland operates the Inkoo compressor unit driven by an electric motor and with a capacity of 6.4 MW. Our compressor units ensure that gas transmission aligns with customer needs, within the scope of the transmission capacity we offer.

Valve stations

There are valve stations installed at intervals of 8–32 km along the transmission pipeline network. Their safety cut-off devices can be used to cut off gas transmission and distribution and release gas from a pipeline section using a measure called blowdown.

Pressure reduction stations

Pressure reduction stations form part of the transmission pipeline system. The stations are located at the customer interface close to our customers’ distribution pipelines or processes. The pressure reduction stations are used to regulate gas pressure to a level suitable for the customer. The volume of transmitted gas is measured at pressure reduction stations.

Gas odourisation

Gas is odourised before delivery to our customers. In special cases, gas can also be delivered unodourised, but this requires permission from a competent authority.