Baltics agree on bringing synchronization forward

The Baltic countries have agreed on a common roadmap to bring the synchronization of their electricity systems with the system of continental Europe forward. Photo: Tairo Lutter

The Baltic countries have agreed on a common roadmap to bring the synchronization of their electricity systems with the system of continental Europe forward; according to the plan, the synchronization will take place in February 2025.

The climate and energy ministers of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania discussed the details of a political agreement on earlier synchronization in Riga on Tuesday. According to the plan, the Baltic countries would formally notify the parties of their exit from the Russian and Belarusian electricity system in August 2024, the Estonian Ministry of Climate said in a press release.

Next, the system operators of the three countries will agree on the technical details, after which the prime ministers of the countries will make the final political decision.

Estonian Minister of Climate Kristen Michal said after the meeting that since the start of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine, the risks to the Baltic states' energy security have also increased.

"Today's ministerial meeting is a sign of a strong common energy security policy of the Baltic countries," he said.

"Although the Baltic countries do not buy electricity from Russia or sell electricity to Russia, nor do they pay Russia for being in the common frequency area, we are historically still physically connected to the power system of the aggressor state, and in line with the current geopolitical situation, the Baltic countries are ready to make a joint effort to proceed faster than originally planned with the moves to leave the Russian electricity system and join the continental European system," Michal added.

At the meeting, the Baltic energy and climate ministers voiced appreciation of the work of the system operators of the three countries, who have carried out additional in-depth studies on possible scenarios for early synchronization. In addition, as a result of the joint efforts of the system operators, key infrastructure objects have been completed on time and the third electricity interconnection between Estonia and Latvia will be reconstructed well ahead of schedule.