Baltic states begin decoupling from Russian power grid

VILINIUS, Lithuania: The Baltic states began disconnecting from the Moscow-controlled energy grid at 0400 GMT on Saturday, Lithuania’s state-run grid operator Litgrid told AFP.

“I can confirm that the process to disconnect began at 06:00 (local time),” Litgrid spokesman Matas Noreika told AFP, after Lithuania switched off its power connection with Belarus and Russia.

Lithuania was the first among the three Baltic countries to decouple from the Moscow-controlled electricity network, and Estonia and Latvia are due to follow suit by 0700 GMT, Noreika said.

After the countries disconnect from the Russian grid, they will operate in so-called “isolated mode” for about 24 hours to test their frequency, or power levels, before integrating with the European grid on Sunday.

The Baltics — former Soviet republics that joined NATO and the European Union in 2004 — have long prepared to integrate with the European grid but faced technological and financial issues.

The switch became more urgent after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, spooking the Baltic states into thinking they could be targeted.

Authorities have said the countries are leaving Russia’s grid to prevent Moscow from weaponising it against them.

“We are now removing Russia’s ability to use the electricity system as a tool of geopolitical blackmail,” Lithuania’s Energy Minister Zygimantas Vaiciunas told AFP before the switch.