Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania successfully integrated into the EU internal energy market Sunday, becoming fully independent from Russia’s and Belarus’s electricity systems.
Joining the European continental network via Poland allows the Baltic States to operate their own energy systems under common and transparent European rules.
The synchronisation of the Baltics – achieved 10 months ahead of schedule – not only contributes to the security of supply of the entire EU, says the European Commission, but also supports the integration of renewable energy in the system, ultimately allowing consumers to benefit from lower energy costs.
“The last electricity grids in Europe still linked to Russia are now fully integrated into Europe’s internal energy market, with the support of over 1 billion euros of European funding over the years,” said the Commission’s president Ursula von der Leyen: “The last remaining electricity lines with Russia and Belarus will now be dismantled. These chains of power lines, linking the Baltic states to hostile neighbours will be a thing of the past. This is freedom. Freedom from threats and blackmail. Congratulations on the start of this new era,” she added.
The Baltic States were the last three EU Member States whose electricity networks were still operating fully within the Russian and Belarussian system where the electricity frequency was centrally controlled by Russia, leaving them vulnerable to Russia’s weaponisation of energy.
Synchronising their electricity networks with those of EU Member States and several neighbouring countries enables the Baltic States to move away from energy dependence on Russia. Instead, they gain full control of their own electricity networks and strengthen the energy security of the Eastern Baltic Sea region and the EU as a whole.
The European Coordinator for the Baltic Synchronisation projects, Catharina Sikow-Magny, says thye EU will continue to work closely with the EU Member States in the Baltic region to implement the remaining aspects of this project. Further work includes the construction of a 700 MW ‘Harmony Link Interconnector’ between Lithuania and Poland, scheduled for completion in 2030.
Baltic Energy Market Interconnection Plan
New European Coordinator for the Baltic Synchronisation energy project
