Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia were cut off from Russia’s power grid on Saturday, cutting off Soviet-era energy and neighbors and east energy.
The countdown clock for Lithuania’s capital, Vilnius, marks the time it takes for the Baltic countries to join the Western European power grid.
“We are now removing the ability to use the Russian electricity system as a geopolitical, scary mail tool,” Lithuanian Energy Minister Zygimantas Vaiciunas told AFP.
While some consumers are worried about supply disruptions, authorities are planning celebrations in three countries. Latvia physically cuts its power lines to Russia on Saturday, and European Commission Chairman Ursula von der Leyen is scheduled to join the Baltic leader for a ceremony in Vilnius on Sunday.
“This is the final step in the fight for energy independence. Finally, you can take the problems into your own hands,” Vitunas said.
Baltic countries cutting off Russian electric grids in early 2025
The Baltic countries, once part of the Soviet Union, are now members of the European Union and NATO, and are located along the western border of Russia.
They have worked for many years to integrate with the European grid, but face technical and economic hurdles. Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine made the transition more urgent and increased fear of being targeted.
The Baltic countries stopped purchasing Russia’s gas and electricity after the invasion, but its grid remained connected to Russia and Belarus as Moscow controlled the flow of electricity. This led them to rely on Russia for electricity stability, which is important for industry and infrastructure.
From Saturday, the three countries will regulate their own supply.
“So far, Russia is able to use energy as a weapon, creating the risk of unexpected power destruction driven by political decisions,” Weiknas said.
After cutting off the Russian grid at 0700 GMT on Saturday, the Baltic countries “”Separation mode“” Approximately 24 hours to test frequency stability.
“We need to do some testing to ensure Europe is a stable energy system,” said Rokas Masiulis, head of LitGrid, the state-run grid operator in Lithuania. Masu.
Engineers will turn power plants on and off, monitor frequency variations and assess their ability to control them, Masiulis said.
The three states will be integrated into the European grid through Poland.
“Simply put, the only change is that our frequency starts to fluctuate in sync with Europe,” Mashlis said.
“It’s our backyard”: Riding Lithuanian patrol against the threat of Russian hybrids in the Baltic Sea
Lithuania warns of potential risks during the transition, including cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns and possible physical threats to critical infrastructure.
“There are a variety of short-term risks available, including movement manipulation on critical infrastructure, cyberattacks, and disinformation campaigns,” the national security department told AFP in a statement.
PSE, a Polish power grid operator, said it will use helicopters and drones to monitor connections with Lithuania.
The Baltic region has seen a series of disruptions in submarine communications and power cables over the past few months. Some analysts and politicians accused Russia of fighting a hybrid, Moscow has denial.
A total of 1.6 billion euros ($1.7 billion) have been invested in simultaneous projects between the Baltic and Poland.
Vaiciunas said consumers should not experience any disruption during the transition. Still, concerns over the blackouts have driven the sale of generators in Estonia.
“Sales in January show a clear increase in interest in generators,” Margo Pruunlep, Director of Sales and Marketing at Home Improvement Store Ehituse ABC, told AFP.
Priit Vaio, director of corporate sales and e-commerce at Bauhof, said generator sales had risen dozens of times in January compared to the same period last year.
Following the grid shift of the Baltic countries, Russia’s Kaliningrad Extkia loses ties to the mainland’s electricity system.
Kaliningrad has been increasing its own generation capacity over the years, and the Kremlin has downplayed concerns.
“We have taken all steps to ensure the unified and reliable operation of our unified energy system,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said last week.
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