The three Baltic states – Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania – have disconnected their electricity systems from Russia’s grid as part of a plan to integrate with the European Union (EU) more closely and boost security.
The move comes after nearly two decades of debate and will see the countries synchronise with the EU’s grid at 12.00 GMT on Sunday. This marks a significant shift in energy policy, following Moscow’s annexation of Crimea in 2014, which increased tensions between Russia and the Baltic states.
The EU’s grid is more stable than what the Baltics can achieve on their own. Analysts say maintaining a constant power supply requires a large, synchronised area like continental Europe or Russia. To prepare for this switch, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania have spent €1.6 billion upgrading their grids since 2018.
The Baltic states will no longer rely on the Russian grid to control frequencies and stabilise networks. Instead, they plan to develop contingency plans to handle power shortages, including temporarily disconnecting heavy energy users. This move is expected to leave Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave without a direct connection to its main grid.
For Russia, this decoupling means significant losses, having spent over $1 billion on the building of several gas-fired power plants in Kaliningrad. The Baltic states’ decision demonstrates their commitment to securing energy independence and reducing reliance on Russia.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/feb/08/baltic-states-leave-russian-power-grid-in-closer-eu-integration