Tallinn, Elering split on fate of old Pollinator Highway electricity pylons
Tallinn and grid operator Elering are sharply divided over the cost of preserving aging high-voltage transmission towers along the city's Pollinator Highway (Putukaväil).
The dispute centers on five nearly 67-year-old transmission towers in Põhja-Tallinn that were initially meant to become part of the Pollinator Highway green corridor project before the city reversed course last year and agreed to let transmission system operator (TSO) Elering dismantle them.
Last month, Mayor Peeter Raudsepp (Isamaa) said preserving the structures could cost up to €60,000 per tower, or nearly €300,000 total, making the project difficult to justify financially.
But Elering board member Reigo Kebja said they estimate extending the life of each pylon would cost closer to €10,000–15,000, bringing the upper total to €75,000 for all five.
"About €12,000 per tower, maybe a little more or less, would definitely be enough to make them safer and extend their lifespan," Kebja said, adding costs would rise only if the city wanted to redesign them in some way.
Raudsepp said the city had been given a broad cost range and opted to plan around the higher figure, arguing that renovation projects often become more expensive than initially forecast.
Even at Elering's lower estimated cost, he added, preserving the landmark towers would still likely mean cutting other city projects or taking on debt plus interest, which he deemed unreasonable.
"But the towers do indeed belong to Elering, and if they truly aren't that costly to overhaul, then Elering can go ahead and do so," the mayor said.
Demo planned for later this summer
The transmission towers became part of redevelopment plans after Elering replaced overhead lines serving Põhja-Tallinn with underground ones several years ago.
The city later proposed turning the former utility route into a green urban corridor known as the Pollinator HIghway, or Putukaväil.
Elering now plans to dismantle the towers later this summer if the city does not reverse course.
While demolition would have been cheaper and easier before surrounding park infrastructure was built, Kebja said tearing the towers down would still likely cost less than renovation once scrap metal value is factored in.
"Of course, if the city changes its position by then and wants to take over ownership of some of the towers after all, we're willing to sign off on that," he added.
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Editor: Mirjam Mäekivi, Aili Vahtla
