The Baltic states yesterday began cutting ties with Russia’s power grid to integrate with Europe’s system, a years-long process that gained urgency with Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania — all former Soviet republics now in the EU and NATO — are leaving Russia’s grid to prevent Moscow from weaponizing it against them.
“We are now removing Russia’s ability to use the electricity system as a tool of geopolitical blackmail,” Lithuanian Minister of Energy Zygimantas Vaiciunas said.
Photo: Reuters
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas — Estonia’s former prime minister — hailed the move on X as “a victory for freedom and European unity.”
Lithuania was the first of the three Baltic countries to decouple from the Moscow-controlled electricity network, Lithuania’s state-run grid operator Litgrid said yesterday.
“I can confirm that Lithuania’s electricity exchange lines with Kaliningrad and Belarus were disconnected at 7:43am”, Litgrid spokesman Matas Noreika said, adding that Estonia and Latvia were due to follow suit later in the day.
Official celebrations are planned across the Baltics, although some consumers worry about disruptions to supply including from potential cyberattacks.
Latvia was yesterday to physically cut a power line to Russia, while European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is to attend a ceremony with Baltic leaders in Vilnius today.
“We are ready,” Lithuanian Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas wrote on X, calling the weekend “the beginning of a new era of our energy independence.”
The Baltics have long prepared to integrate with the European grid, but faced technological and financial issues.
The switch became more urgent after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, spooking the Baltic states into thinking they could be targeted.
They stopped purchasing Russian gas and electricity after the invasion, but their power grids remained connected to Russia and Belarus, controlled from Moscow.
That left them dependent on Moscow for a stable electricity flow, which is crucial for factories and facilities requiring a reliable power supply.
After the Baltic states disconnect from the Russian grid, they are to operate in so-called “isolated mode” for about 24 hours to test their frequency, or power levels.
The states would then integrate into the European power grid via Poland, but authorities have warned of potential risks linked to the change.
“Various short-term risks are possible, such as kinetic operations against critical infrastructure, cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns,” the Lithuanian State Security Department said.