In partnership with Krah Pipes OÜ
A durable, easy-to-install solution that offered a wide range of benefits over traditional materials. Today, those replacement pipes are still performing with the same reliability and performance as when they were first installed, with no reported issues.
Fifteen years ago, Eesti Energia - Estonia’s leading energy company - faced a challenge. The decades-old steel cooling water pipes at Narva Power Plants had deteriorated, causing leaks and efficiency losses.
To ensure long-term reliability, they needed a modern, high-performance replacement. Their pipe manufacturer Krah Pipes OÜ, a specialist in large-diameter thermoplastic pipes, selected high-density polyethylene (HDPE) spiral-wound pipes made from Borealis BorSafe™ HE3490-LS - a durable, easy-to-install solution that offered a wide range of benefits over traditional materials.
Today, those replacement pipes are still performing with the same reliability and performance as when they were first installed, with no reported issues. Their continued durability is a testament to the benefits of selecting the right materials for infrastructure projects that need to stand the test of time in demanding environments.
Based on our state-of-the-art Borstar® technology, BorSafe HE3490-LS is a PE100-classified material with an expected service life of 100 years. It enables pipes suitable for advanced installation techniques, including relining and electrofusion welding. This capability was key to the Narva Power Plants project, allowing 260 meters of old pipes to be replaced with ID1400 Krah Pipes OÜ pipes in just two months.
BorSafe HE3490-LS has proven its durability in this real-world application. Its exceptional resistance to slow crack growth and strong joint integrity have helped ensure uninterrupted performance at the Narva Power Plants—eliminating corrosion-related maintenance and removing the need for cathodic protection (which is required for steel pipes).
Pipes installed in Estonia by Krah Pipes OÜ produced with Borealis PE100 material are still going strong after 15 years
© Krah Pipes OÜ
"The Narva Power Plants project required pipes of the highest quality, and for that, we needed a material partner we could trust. Borealis’ BorSafe HE3490-LS and our advanced pipe technology proved to be the perfect combination. Fifteen years later, the results speak for themselves—the pipes continue to perform as reliably as they did on day one, proving their durability and long-term value."
Peeter Kirtsi, CEO Krah Pipes OÜ
Infrastructure projects are costly and disruptive, so it’s important that they’re designed and built with long-term performance in mind. With fifteen years of flawless performance, these HDPE pipes demonstrate the value of making a considered material choice.
Today, Borealis continues to support the demands of modern infrastructure by providing advanced polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene materials that combine reliability with efficiency.
Our BorSafe PE grades provide durable, low-maintenance solutions across a wide range of sectors, helping customers to modernize with confidence. They also take sustainability a step further than was possible 15 years ago, as they can be produced using feedstock from the Bornewables™—our portfolio of circular polyolefins based on renewable feedstocks.
These premium polyolefins deliver the same high performance as fossil-based alternatives but with a significantly lower environmental footprint.
"At Borealis, we believe infrastructure should be built to last, and the Narva Power Plants project is a great example of this in action. BorSafe HE3490-LS was chosen because of its durability and long-term reliability—fifteen years later, its continued performance reinforces the value of choosing the right materials from the outset. This is how our polyolefin pipe solutions are enabling life’s essentials."
John Webster, Borealis Head of Marketing Infrastructure and Building
