Latvia’s transmission system operator (TSO), Augstsprieguma Tīkls (AST), has signed contracts with 12 wind and solar power plant developers for connecting more than 1,100 MW of renewable energy sources (RES) projects to the transmission network. This exceeds the capacity of existing solar and wind power plants installed in Latvia by more than 150 per cent [taking into account the total solar and wind power plants currently connected to the distribution and transmission network, which is 690 MW as of September 2024).
By the end of 2024, it is planned to conclude connection agreements with the developers of eight more RES power plants with a total capacity of 796 MW. Of the stations that have already signed transmission network connection contracts, 721 MW of power will be for solar power stations, 320 MW for wind power stations, and 60 MW of power will be for a hybrid project that combines a solar power station and an energy storage battery system.
In terms of installed capacity, the currently largest solar power plant of 199.8 MW is planned to be built in the South Kurzeme district, near Cīrava, while the largest wind power plant with a capacity of 158.8 MW is planned near Lejasstrazdiem in the Dobele district. It is planned to complete the connection of eight power stations to the transmission network in 2025, with the remaining four in 2026. Thus, at the end of 2025, the capacity of the new solar and wind power plants connected to the grid will reach 540 MW, and in 2026 this number will increase by another 560 MW.
