Two days ago, and with so little fanfare that I didn’t hear or read about it until today, a new electricity transmission cable was turned on. The Southwest Direct Electrical Current Link – SydVästlänkens likströmsförbindelse – is great news! Running underground to Barkaryd, and from Barkaryd to Hurva on poles, it greatly widens the electrical bottleneck that used to reduce electrical capacity in southern Sweden. The potential for new companies and new jobs is cause for rejoicing.
The bad news is that it cost seven billion kronor, and took six years longer to build than expected. As Naod Habtemichael at DN correctly notes, the process was “a horrifying example of the state building infrastructure.”
I’m thrilled about it finally happening (see the abundance of posts in this blog about Sweden’s electrical challenges) but, omg, it has to become faster and easier if everyone is going to plug in their cars.
It is pretty though. Svenska Kraftnät – yes, that’s what they call themselves in English – brought in some pros to make the different elements in power transmission fit into the landscape. Below are pics from their website.
