Electricity sector in Estonia

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Estonia's electricity sector is interconnected with regional energy markets, particularly through connections with Finland, Latvia, and Russia. The direct electrical interconnection with Finland was established in 2006 and was further strengthened by the Estlink 2 interconnector in 2014. Estonia joined the Nord Pool Spot market by 2012, securing its own price area within this regional electricity market.^[1]

In 2018, oil shale constituted approximately 80% of Estonia's electricity consumption. By 2021, this figure had declined to 49%, reflecting a significant decrease in oil shale utilization for electricity generation. Concurrently, there has been an increase in the adoption of renewable energy sources, notably biomass, wind energy, and solar photovoltaic (PV). Significant transformations in the oil shale-based electricity production infrastructure include the commissioning of the new Auvere Power Plant in 2018 and the decommissioning of older facilities.^[1]

In Estonia's electricity market, Eesti Energia is the largest seller with a 60% market share and owns the largest distribution network, representing 86% of the distribution market. The Estonian Competition Authority (ECA) regulates transmission and distribution rates, as well as connection charges.^[1]