Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia to cut ties with Russia’s power grid this weekend

This is reported by AFP.

Latvia is set to physically disconnect its power transmission line from Russia on February 8. The next day, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will join Baltic leaders in Vilnius for a ceremony marking the shift.

Lithuanian Energy Minister Žygimantas Vaičiūnas called the move a major geopolitical step.

"We are now removing Russia's ability to use the electricity system as a tool of geopolitical blackmail," he said.

"This is the last step in our fight for energy independence. We can finally take matters into our own hands," Vaičiūnas added.

The report notes that the Baltics have been working for years to integrate with the European grid, though they faced technological and financial hurdles. However, Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine pushed them to speed up the process. While they had already stopped buying Russian gas and electricity, their power grids remained linked to Russia and Belarus, keeping them vulnerable to Moscow in case of supply disruptions.

"So far, Russia has been able to use energy as a weapon, creating the risk of unplanned electricity disruptions driven by political decisions," Vaičiūnas stressed.

Once the Baltic states disconnect from the Russian grid at 07:00 GMT on Saturday, they will run in isolated mode for about 24 hours to test their power frequency.

"We need to carry out some tests to ensure Europe that we are a stable energy system. We'll switch power stations on and off, observe how the frequency fluctuates and assess our ability to control it," said Rokas Masiulis, head of Lithuania’s state grid operator, Litgrid.

After that, they will connect to the European grid via Poland.

"In simple terms, the only change will be that our frequency will start fluctuating in sync with Europe," Masiulis added.

Lithuania has already warned about possible risks tied to the transition.

"Various short-term risks are possible, such as kinetic operations against critical infrastructure, cyber-attacks and disinformation campaigns," Lithuania’s State Security Department stated.

Polish grid operator PSE has said it will use helicopters and drones to monitor its connection with Lithuania.

The move will also impact Russia’s Kaliningrad region, which will lose its link to mainland Russia’s power grid.

• In August 2023, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania’s electricity transmission operators signed a synchronization agreement to cut ties with the Russian-controlled grid and connect to Europe.
• In November 2024, it was announced that the Baltic states would finalize the disconnection from Russia and link to Europe in early February 2025.