Latest news with #BalticPowerSystem
Al Jazeera
10-02-2025
- Business
- Al Jazeera
Why have Baltic states unplugged from Russia's electricity grid?
The Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania have officially severed the flow of electricity between themselves and Russia after officials switched off the Soviet-era grid's transmission lines and joined the rest of Europe. This came more than three decades after the collapse of the Soviet Union, ending the Baltics' final energy ties to oil- and gas-rich Russia. For the three countries, as well as the rest of Europe, the move was steeped in geopolitical and symbolic significance. Here's what you need to know about the Baltic countries ending electricity ties with Russia: What happened? On Saturday, all remaining transmission lines between the Baltic countries and Russia, Belarus and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, wedged between EU members Poland and Lithuania and the Baltic Sea, were switched off one by one. For 24 hours after detaching from the Soviet-era grid, the Baltic Power System operated independently before being merged with European energy networks on Sunday afternoon. After disconnecting from the IPS/UPS network, the Baltic nations cut cross-border high-voltage transmission lines in eastern Latvia, some 100 metres from the Russian border, handing out pieces of chopped wire to enthusiastic bystanders as keepsakes. Analysts say that maintaining a constant power supply requires a stable grid frequency, which can more easily be obtained over time in a large synchronised area such as Russia or continental Europe, compared with what the Baltics can do on their own. Why were they getting their electricity from Russia, and why did they stop? The Baltic states inherited their electricity infrastructure from the Soviet Union, established in the 1950s, and remained part of Russia's BRELL network even after gaining independence in 1990. Although they stopped buying Russian electricity after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, their power grids remained physically connected to Russia and Belarus. This meant their electricity supply was still controlled from Moscow, leaving their factories and essential facilities dependent on Russia for stable power. How much did Russia provide electricity to these states? According to a report by Free Policy Briefs, a publication affiliated with the Forum for Research on Eastern Europe and Emerging Economies (FREE Network), the Baltic states imported approximately 10 percent of their electricity from Russia before 2022. Where will the Baltic states now get their electricity from? The power system has been merged with the European energy networks through several links with Finland, Sweden and Poland. What does it mean for the Baltic states? The severing of electricity was praised by the European Commission and the Baltic states. 'The Baltic energy system is finally in our hands, we are in full control,' Lithuania's Energy Minister Zygimantas Vaiciunass said. The country's president, Gitanas Nauseda, told The Associated Press news agency that it was a 'historic moment, marking the end of a long journey for Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia'. 'From now on, we have achieved full energy independence. The period of political pressure and blackmail is finally over,' the president said. The EU welcomed the Baltic states joining its electric grid. 'Russia can no longer use energy as a tool of blackmail,' said Kaja Kallas, EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy. Kallas was Estonia's first female prime minister, from 2021 to 2024. What does it mean for Russia? The decoupling means Russia's Kaliningrad exclave, located between Lithuania, Poland and the Baltic Sea, is cut off from Russia's main grid — it must now maintain its power system alone. The Kremlin said it has taken all necessary measures to ensure uninterrupted, reliable operation of its electricity system, including the construction of several gas-fired power plants in Kaliningrad. 'Electricity lines with Russia and Belarus are being dismantled. These chains of power lines linking you to hostile neighbours will be a thing of the past,' said Ursula von der Leyen, European Commission president. What are the concerns going forward? Authorities have warned of potential risks, including sabotage, cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns. 'Various short-term risks are possible, such as kinetic operations against critical infrastructure, cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns,' Lithuania's state security department told the AFP news agency. The Baltic Sea region is on high alert following power cable, telecom and gas pipeline outages between the Baltics and Sweden or Finland. All were believed to have been caused by ships dragging anchors along the seabed following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Russia has denied any involvement. 'Recent incidents involving undersea infrastructure in the Baltic Sea provide a matter of great concern. And a call for resolute action,' said Lithuanian President Nausda. Poland and the Baltics deployed navy assets, elite police units and helicopters to monitor the area after an undersea power link from Finland to Estonia was damaged in December, while Lithuania's military began drills to protect the overland connection to Poland. Analysts say any further damage to links could push power prices in the Baltics to levels not seen since the invasion of Ukraine, when energy prices soared. Poland's power grid operator PSE said it will use helicopters and drones to patrol the connection with Lithuania.
Arab Times
10-02-2025
- Politics
- Arab Times
3 Baltic states disconnect from Soviet-era grid to merge with European energy system
VILNIUS, Lithuania, Feb 10, (AP): The flow of electricity between the Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania and Russia was officially severed Saturday morning after officials switched off the Soviet-era grid's transmission lines and prepared to join the rest of Europe on Sunday. This came more than three decades after the collapse of the Soviet Union, ending the Baltics' final ties to oil- and gas-rich Russia. For the three countries, as well as the rest of Europe, the move was steeped in geopolitical and symbolic significance. "The Baltic energy system is finally in our hands, we are in full control,' Lithuania Energy minister Žygimantas Vaičiūnas told reporters. On Saturday, all remaining transmission lines between them and Russia, Belarus and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, wedged between EU members Poland and Lithuania and the sea, were switched off one by one. Lithuania first - where a specially-made 9-meter (about 29-foot) tall clock in downtown Vilnius counted down the final seconds - then Latvia a few minutes later, followed by Estonia. For 24 hours after detaching from the Soviet-era grid, the Baltic Power System will operate independently. If all goes as planned, the power system will merge with the European energy networks on Sunday afternoon through several links with Finland, Sweden and Poland. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, as well as the presidents of Poland and the Baltic states, are expected for a ceremony in Vilnius on Sunday evening along with other dignitaries. The Baltic countries, which are all NATO members, have often had chilly ties with Russia since declaring independence from the USSR in 1990 - and relations soured further over Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Sixteen power lines that used to connect the Baltic states with Russia and Belarus were dismantled over in recent years as a new grid linking them with the rest of the EU was created, including underwater cables in the Baltic Sea. "This is physical disconnection from the last remaining element of our reliance on the Russian and Belarusian energy system,' Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda told The Associated Press in a recent interview.
Euronews
10-02-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
Zelenskyy congratulates Baltic countries as they disconnect from Soviet-era power grid
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has described Sunday as a "great day" after the three Baltic countries – Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania – disconnected from the Soviet-era power grid and synchronised with the European electricity network. "Ukraine already did this back in 2022 and now the Baltic states have finally freed themselves from this dependence. Moscow can no longer use energy as a weapon against them. This also means Europe is now even more united," Zelenskyy said in a video posted on his X account. The switchover, which Baltic leaders said held geopolitical and symbolic significance, came more than three decades after the collapse of the Soviet Union. It ends the Baltic countries' final ties to oil- and gas-rich Russia. "Our joint success, which would be impossible without the participation of our close friend Poland, shows the true value of solidarity and unity, the core principles of the European Union. It sends a strong message of encouragement across the entire continent," said Lithuania's President Gitanas Nausėda, speaking at the switch-over ceremony in the capital, Vilnius. All remaining transmission lines between the Baltics and Russia, Belarus and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, wedged between EU members Poland and Lithuania and the sea, were switched off one by one. Lithuania first — where a specially-made 9-metre tall clock in downtown Vilnius had counted down the final seconds — then Latvia a few minutes later, followed by Estonia. The Baltic Power System was then merged with the European energy network through links with Finland, Sweden and Poland. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the switch was about more than just energy, saying it was about European integration. "It is about proving once again that when we come together, we can move mountains. Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia - you are at the heart of Europe. You worked tirelessly for this moment, and today all of Europe celebrates with you," she said. The Baltic countries, which are all NATO members, have often had difficult ties with Russia since declaring independence from the USSR in 1990. Relations hit a new low over Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Sixteen power lines that used to connect the Baltic states with Russia and Belarus were dismantled in recent years as a new grid linking them with the rest of the EU was created, including underwater cables in the Baltic Sea. The three Baltic countries, which together have a 1,633-kilometre-long border with Russia and Belarus, informed Moscow and Minsk of the disconnection plan in 2024 to head off any hostile reaction. Leaders of all three countries assured their citizens that the shift would go smoothly but special measures were taken to prevent possible provocations. In Latvia, the National Armed Forces and the National Guard were instructed to carry on their duties in a reinforced mode. The Kaliningrad region, which has no land ties to mainland Russia, already relies on its own power generation, according to Lithuania's power grid operator, Litgrid.
Sky News
08-02-2025
- Business
- Sky News
Baltic countries cut off Russian energy supply
Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania have officially disconnected their electricity systems from Russia's as the Baltic countries seek closer ties with the European Union and better national security. The move symbolises their desire to sever all ties with, and gain energy independence from, Moscow. Officials switched off the Soviet-era grid's transmission lines on Saturday, they said, and, after the Baltic Power System operates independently for 24 hours, they will join the European energy networks on Sunday afternoon through several links with Finland, Sweden, and Poland. Lithuania's energy minister Zygimantas Vaiciunas told reporters the Baltic energy system "is finally in our hands, we are in full control". Mr Vaiciunas added: "We've reached the goal we strived for, for so long." The three states were formerly part of the Soviet Union and controlled by the Kremlin, but gained independence in the early 1990s, following the Communist bloc's collapse. The long process of freeing themselves from Moscow began after the annexation of Crimea in 2014. Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania are all staunch supporters of Ukraine and stopped buying energy from Russia after President Vladimir Putin ordered a full-scale invasion in 2022. To that end they have spent around €1.6bn (£1.3bn) upgrading their grids, while Moscow has spent 100 billion roubles (£806,000), boosting its Kaliningrad exclave, located between Lithuania, Poland and the Baltic Sea, which is cut off from Russia's main grid. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna confirmed the aim of freeing themselves from Russian influence, saying ending the energy dependence of the Baltic states on Russia meant they are "leaving the aggressor without the option of using energy as a weapon against us". Reliable power supplies are easier to maintain with a stable grid frequency, which experts say grows more readily over time in a large synchronised area such as Russia or continental Europe, rather than in a smaller region such as the Baltics. Latvian Energy Minister Kaspars Melnis said the system was stable and "the process is happening smoothly, no one is noticing that something changed". Russia, which was formally notified of the impending disconnection last year, has been accused of sabotaging underwater cables in the Baltic Sea region by ships dragging anchors along the seabed. A series of apparent attacks have caused power cable, telecom links, and gas pipeline outages between the Baltics and Sweden or Finland. Russia has denied culpability and on Monday, Swedish officials said a vessel that broke an undersea fibre optic cable between Latvia and Sweden last month did not do it deliberately. On Saturday, Ukraine's air force said it shot down 67 of 139 Russian drones launched overnight, while another 71 disappeared from radar without reaching their targets. It comes the day after Kyiv's forces launched a new series of battalion-sized mechanised assaults in Kursk, six months after a raid into the region shocked the Kremlin. On Friday, they advanced up to 5km (3 miles) behind Russian lines southeast of Sudzha, the Institute for the Study of War thinktank said.
Yahoo
08-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
3 Baltic states disconnect from the Soviet-era grid to merge with the European energy system
VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) — The flow of electricity between the Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania and Russia was officially severed Saturday morning after officials switched off the Soviet-era grid's transmission lines and prepared to join the rest of Europe on Sunday. This came more than three decades after the collapse of the Soviet Union, ending the Baltics' final ties to oil- and gas-rich Russia. For the three countries, as well as the rest of Europe, the move was steeped in geopolitical and symbolic significance. 'The Baltic energy system is finally in our hands, we are in full control,' Lithuania Energy minister Žygimantas Vaičiūnas told reporters. On Saturday, all remaining transmission lines between them and Russia, Belarus and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, wedged between EU members Poland and Lithuania and the sea, were switched off one by one. Lithuania first — where a specially-made 9-meter (about 29-foot) tall clock in downtown Vilnius counted down the final seconds — then Latvia a few minutes later, followed by Estonia. For 24 hours after detaching from the Soviet-era grid, the Baltic Power System will operate independently. If all goes as planned, the power system will merge with the European energy networks on Sunday afternoon through several links with Finland, Sweden and Poland. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, as well as the presidents of Poland and the Baltic states, are expected for a ceremony in Vilnius on Sunday evening along with other dignitaries. The Baltic countries, which are all NATO members, have often had chilly ties with Russia since declaring independence from the USSR in 1990 — and relations soured further over Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Sixteen power lines that used to connect the Baltic states with Russia and Belarus were dismantled over in recent years as a new grid linking them with the rest of the EU was created, including underwater cables in the Baltic Sea. 'This is physical disconnection from the last remaining element of our reliance on the Russian and Belarusian energy system,' Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda told The Associated Press in a recent interview. The three Baltic countries, which together have a 1,633-kilometer-long (1,015-mile) border with Russia and Belarus, informed Moscow and Minsk of the disconnection plan in 2024 to head off any hostile reaction. 'We have a protocol with the Russians on how everything should be disconnected,' Rokas Masiulis, CEO of Litgrid, told reporters on Saturday. Leaders of all three countries assured their nations that the shift would go smoothly but special measures were taken to prevent possible provocations. In Latvia, the National Armed Forces and the National Guard were instructed to carry on their duties in a reinforced mode. No incidents were reported early Saturday. The Kaliningrad region, which has no land ties to mainland Russia, already relies on its own power generation, according to Litgrid. Liudas Dapkus, The Associated Press
