UPDATE 1-Balticconnector gas pipeline will be in commercial use again April 22, Gasgrid says

(Adds comments on floating LNG terminal in paragraphs 3-7)

HELSINKI, April 17 (Reuters) - The damaged Balticconnector gas pipeline between Finland and Estonia will be in commercial use again on April 22, Finnish gas system operator Gasgrid executive Janne Gronlund told an industry conference on Wednesday.

The Balticconnector subsea gas link between Estonia and Finland was damaged in October along with three telecoms cables, hurting energy security and raising alarm bells in the wider region.

"At the moment we are commissioning the pipeline, and we anticipate that on Monday next week market participants can utilise Balticconnector again commercially," Gronlund said.

During the winter, Finland was able to replace the broken pipeline's capacity with the help of its Inkoo floating

LNG terminal

, which it originally leased in 2022 to replace Russian gas supply after the start of the war in Ukraine.

Satu Mattila, chief executive of Gasgrid Floating LNG Terminal Finland, said the storage and regasification unit (FSRU) would continue its operations normally despite Balticconnector's recommissioning.

"Its full capacity has been sold until the end of September," she told Reuters, adding bookings until December would open in May at the latest and for 2025 capacity from mid-July this year.

Mattila said the Inkoo terminal would continue to serve as a direct access point to the Finnish gas grid, but also for loads destined to be transferred via the Balticconnector to Incukalns underground gas storage site in Latvia. (Reporting by Anne Kauranen, writing by Anna Ringstrom, editing by Terje Solsvik)