The Lithuanians have been entrusted with the construction of 28 kilometres of 130 kV overhead power lines, which will connect a large wind farm to the Swedish national grid. The project consists of four wind farms with a total capacity of 561 MW, located in the municipalities of Solleft and Kramfors. E.ON Energy Distribution is the grid connection customer.
Žilinskis & Co, JSC entered the Scandinavian market almost a decade ago. While the company's portfolio initially consisted of the usual grid reconstruction and repair projects, the Lithuanian company has earned a reputation as a reliable partner that can also be entrusted with large and complex projects over time. In 2020, the Lithuanians completed the 130 kV overhead power line Nysäter – Jenåsen. In 2022 alone, two 150 kV overhead lines were completed. These lines connected one of Sweden's largest wind farms, Markbydgen, to the national grid.
In total, Žilinskis & Co, UAB has already implemented 6 different overhead line construction projects in Sweden, with a total length of 111 kilometres of high-voltage power lines, and 4 high– and medium-voltage substations have been installed and rebuilt. The company is currently constructing two more power transmission lines with a total length of 21 kilometres.
„Working in Sweden is characterised by complex solutions, first for the designers and later for the contractors. As the saying goes, there is no shortage of challenges. This is primarily due to the local landscape – the lines are mostly in mountainous terrain, the high-voltage supports are of different types and heights, and they are usually anchored in rocks. In the latter project, the track will descend from mountainous rocky terrain directly into marshy land,“ says Žilvinas Žilinskis, CEO of Žilinskis Group.
What lessons did you learn from working in Sweden?
„The big boost came when we entered the Transparent Business Register. Then the door to bigger tenders opened wider. And, of course, the highly skilled staff, the designers, and the ability to carry out complex tasks. When you become a trusted partner, the client relationship becomes clear, respectful and equal.
You even have to specify a profit margin when you tender because nobody needs to be told that energy companies have to make a profit, employ the best staff, and have the latest equipment. That is the rule of working in Sweden. But, unfortunately, it has not yet reached Lithuania. Paradoxically, the money earned in Sweden often has to be used to maintain employees in Lithuania,“ says the head of Žilinskis Group.
Žilinskis ir Co, JSC is Lithuania's largest energy infrastructure construction and maintenance company, operating in the market for 32 years. The company's turnover last year exceeded EUR 66 million.
