By Carolina de la Puente Ilieva

February 9th, 2025 was a historic day for the Baltics, which comprises the countries of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania: they finally gained their independence from the Russian-controlled power grid [1]. This is not only a step away from the Kremlin and its decades-long grip on this region, but also a significant step towards a stronger and more united EU, which sends a powerful message to Russia and the rest of the world.

During the Soviet Era (1940-1991) [2], a circuit connecting 5 former soviet countries was built, which was renamed BRELL in 2001 (for Belarus, Russia, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania) [3]. This placed the Baltics in an unified electric network centrally controlled by Moscow. More specifically, this agreement gave Russian operators the power and responsibility to manage grid frequencies and balance supplies. As you can imagine, this heavily limited the Baltic States’ autonomy, even after their official independence [3].

As many other newly independent States, gaining their political and economic sovereignty came with many challenges for the Baltic countries, one of them being their energy supply and infrastructure. Indeed, they needed to disentangle their energy infrastructures from foreign dominance, as it made them vulnerable to energy manipulation. Yet, as they were unable to whistand their countries’ energy demands at the beginning of this century, they were forced to renew the BRELL agreement in 2001. However, this did not stop them from exploring other avenues to ensure their energy independence and security, efforts that came to an end on February 9th, almost a quarter of a century later [3].

Indeed, since 2001, the EU and the Baltic region have worked together to slowly pave the way for February 9th’s events, by improving regional cooperation and making the necessary infrastructural changes to support such an ambitious project. 

These are some of the key initiatives that took place:

The Klaipėda (which means “Independence”) liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal was launched in Lithuania in 2014. This innovative infrastructure provided a direct alternative to Russian gas, promoting the diversification of energy sources. According to the Foreign Policy Research Institute, “it remains the sole such infrastructure object in the Baltic states, technically capable of supplying natural gas to the domestic Lithuanian market, as well as to the other two Baltic states and Finland” [4].  Soon after, Lithuania and its gas sources were connected to the European Union for the first time, through the Gas Interconnection Poland–Lithuania (GIPL) [5].

Additionally the region also saw the development of interconnectors such as the Estlink (linking Estonia and Finland) [6], the LitPol Link (connecting Lithuania to Poland) [7] and the NordBalt (merging Lithuania and Sweden), which are also linked in between the Baltic States [6]… In the meantime, significant efforts were put towards battery storage systems (BESS) to support grids’ functions. For example, Latvia unveiled its first utility-scale BESS before the synchronisations and Lithuania launched a storage support scheme worth € 102 million [7]. 

It is important to mention that, once an electric grid is established and running, modifying it is costly and time consuming. But the EU Member States knew that this synchronisation was a necessary investment to secure a hopefully more prosperous future [8]. Which is why it took the Baltics and the EU approximately €1.6 billion and nearly 20 years to complete this shift to the Continental Europe grid, officially known as CESA (Continental European Synchronous Area) [3]. 

​​Undeniably, this shift was particularly influenced by the tensions between Russia and Ukraine in recent years, tensions which have expanded to the whole European continent. The fear of dependency or potential leverage from Russia mixed with the desire to support Ukraine and cut all possible ties with Moscow was the final push this project needed to be completed [1]. 

Apart from diminishing Russia’s influence, it promotes the alignment of energy infrastructure across the EU and facilitates greater collaboration and efficiency within the European Energy market [9].

As for the ceremonial event, The Baltic Energy Ceremony was held in Vilnius, and Ursula Von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, used the opportunity to say clearly in her speech what this move represents.  “This is freedom, freedom from threats, freedom from blackmail,” she said [10]. Alongside her were the Polish President Andrzej Duda, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics and Estonian Climate Minister Yoko Alender. They symbolically held a bar followed by a luminescent light show to officially inaugurate [11] the connection of the Baltics to the CESA, which is managed by the ENTSO-E (European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity) [9].

Now that this synchronisation is operational, is this it? Are the Baltics finally freed from Russia’s grasp?

Unfortunately, all the challenges that the Baltics face haven’t magically disappeared on February 9th. To ensure the stability and reliability of this newly integrated grid, extensive ongoing technical controls and adjustments are required. Furthermore, adapting and maintaining cohesive energy policies among the Baltic states and the EU partners is crucial for the project to work in the long-term. Continuing  to promote collaboration amongst the Baltics and their neighbouring countries is also of key importance. Lastly, it is crucial  not to forget the current threat of foreign sabotage which needs to be continuously addressed [12].

Plus, the improvement doesn’t need to stop here: as they are leaders in Sustainability, it should come as no surprise that the Baltics are aiming to expand their renewable energy sources. An example of this is the Latvian state owned company, Latvenergo, which plans to install battery energy storage with 250 MW capacity by 2030 [13].

In conclusion, this 9th of February marked a crucial step in paving the way for a brighter and more independent future for the Baltics. The region’s partnership with the EU is both a symbolic and practical shift which not only sends a powerful geopolitical message, but also promotes the European energy market. Despite there being still some challenges that need to be addressed, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have once again seen their efforts victorious in distancing themselves from their Soviet past and counterparts and strengthening their European vision. 

Edited by Justine Dukmedjian.

References

[1]”Baltic States Switch to European Power Grid, Ending Russia Ties.” Reuters, 9 Feb. 2025, Baltic states switch to European power grid, ending Russia ties | Reuters. Accessed 5 Apr. 2025.

[2]Baltic States: Soviet Republics. Encyclopædia Britannica, Baltic states – Soviet Republics, Independence, Geography | Britannica. Accessed 1 Apr. 2025.

[3] “BRELL Desynchronisation Assessment.” Energy Security Centre of Excellence, BRELL Desynchronisation Assessment – NATO ENSEC COE. Accessed 1 Apr. 2025.

[4]Titarenko, Larissa. “The Baltic Road to Energy Independence from Russia Is Nearing Completion.” Foreign Policy Research Institute, 4 May 2022, The Baltic Road to Energy Independence from Russia Is Nearing Completion – Foreign Policy Research Institute. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.

[5]”CEF Energy: Enhancing Energy Security in the Eastern Baltic Sea Region.” CINEA – European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency, 29 May 2024, CEF Energy: enhancing energy security in the Eastern Baltic Sea region – European Commission. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.

[6]European Commission. Baltic Energy Market Interconnection Plan. European Commission, Baltic Energy Market Interconnection Plan. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025

[7]”Battery Storage Helps Baltics Disconnect from Russia’s BRELL Grid and Connect to Europe.” Energy Storage News, 12 Feb. 2025, Battery storage helps Baltics disconnect from Russia’s BRELL grid and connect to Europe. Accessed 5 Apr. 2025.

[8]”The Baltics Join the European Grid: A Successful Integration Story.” Eurelectric, The Baltics join the European grid – a successful integration story – Eurelectric – Powering People. Accessed 5 Apr. 2025.

[9]”ENTSO-E Confirms Successful Synchronization of the Continental European Electricity System with the Systems of the Baltic Countries.” ENTSO-E, 9 Feb. 2025, ENTSO-E confirms successful synchronization of the Continental European electricity system with the systems of the Baltic countries. Accessed 6 Apr. 2025.

[10]”Ceremony of the Baltic States Joining the European Electricity Grid.” Euronews, 10 Feb. 2025, Video. Baltic States join European electricity grid | Euronews. Accessed 5 Apr. 2025.

[11]”Editorial Photo: Baltic Grid Synchronization Ceremony.” Associated Press Newsroom, https://newsroom.ap.org/editorial-photos-videos/detail?itemid=792dcb48a0694c80add505d073b512f4. Accessed 5 Apr. 2025.

[12]Hansen, Flemming Splidsboel. “The Baltic States’ Synchronization with the Continental Grid.” Danish Institute for International Studies, Baltic States’ synchronization with the continental grid | DIIS. Accessed 5 Apr. 2025.

[13]”Latvenergo Invests in Plans to Become the Baltic Market Leader in Battery Storage.” ESS News, 21 Feb. 2025, Latvenergo invests in plans to become the Baltic market leader in battery storage. Accessed 5 Apr. 2025.

[Cover Image] Photo by Alex Quezada , https://www.pexels.com/photo/tall-transmission-tower-20425278/ . Licensed under Pexels: https://www.pexels.com/fr-fr/.