The Baltic republics of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania integrated their electricity grids into the European network on Sunday following their disconnection from Russia’s energy system.
The three EU states – all also members of NATO – were hooked up to Poland and the Continental European grid via the LitPol Link power line, joining the world’s largest synchronous grid serving more than 400 million consumers across 26 countries.
According to operators in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, the interconnection of the grids was completed shortly after 2 pm (1200 GMT).
The three former Soviet republics had already stopped their electricity imports from Russia as a reaction to Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
However, they were still part of a joint, synchronous power grid with Russia and Belarus dating back to the Soviet era. This was considered a lingering security risk in Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius.
Following the grid change, the Baltic states will be able to control the basic parameters of the electricity system, such as frequency and voltage, which were previously regulated by Moscow.
“This is a historic moment marking the end of a long journey … We have achieved full energy independence,” said Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda in Vilnius after meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and his counterparts from Estonia, Latvia and Poland.
“This is freedom: freedom from threats, freedom from blackmail,” von der Leyen added.
Lithuania was the first to unhook from the common grid with Russia and Belarus on Saturday, followed by Latvia and Estonia.
Their grids then operated alone for a day in isolated mode for some operational tests before joining the European system.
Polish President Andrzej Duda hailed the synchronization as “a milestone development” for the entire EU.
“It is the final step towards emancipation from the post-Soviet sphere of dependence,” Duda said in Vilnius.
Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania were annexed by the Soviet Union in 1940 and only regained their independence in 1991.
The three neighbours began preparing for connection to the European energy system in 2009. The original plan envisaged synchronization at the beginning of 2026.
However, Russia’s attack on Ukraine in 2022 accelerated the project, which was largely funded by the EU. The costs for building the necessary infrastructure totalled around €1.6 billion ($1.65 billion).
Ukraine – like its former Soviet neighbour Moldova – had already disconnected from the Russian electricity grid shortly after the start of the war and connected to the European system.
(L-R) Estonia’s President Alar Karis, Poland’s President Andrzej Duda, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and Latvia’s President Edgars Rinkevics, hold a joint press conference at the Lithuanian Presidential Palace. Alexander Welscher/dpa
