Defense League to protect Estonia's energy infrastructure

Defense League to protect Estonia's energy infrastructure. Photo: Elmo Riig

The Kaitseliit (Defense League) volunteer defense corps and transmission system operator Elering on Thursday entered into a cooperation agreement for increasing the defense and resilience capabilities of the sites and objects of the Estonian electricity transmission network.

Under the agreement, Kaitseliit and Elering will conduct infrastructure defense exercises in order to practice cooperation in various security-related situations. The parties to the agreement will also develop infrastructure defense measures together and establish the prerequisites for prompt crisis resolution. The exercises will be based on risk analyses and potential threat scenarios and will often be conducted in danger areas, for example, in a cable protection zone, or in their immediate vicinity.

Karl Kristian Kits, head of infrastructure security of Elering, noted that the purpose of the cooperation is to meet the expectations of the line of action of the continuity of state and society with respect to the action plan for comprehensive national defense, with the aim of ensuring the operational continuity of vital services in any circumstances.

«As a result of the joint planning, exercise and implementation of the activities, we will be better prepared for unexpected situations and ready to resolve them immediately,» Kits added.

According to Kaitseliit commander Maj. Gen. Ilmar Tamm, Elering is one of the organizations that has studied the situation in Ukraine, learned its lessons from there, and is taking practical measures as a provider of vital services in order to manage risks when it comes to providing us with energy in crisis and war.

«This is an opportunity for Kaitseliit to be of assistance. The cooperation agreement and our joint activities thus far with Elering are excellent examples of us moving in the right direction,» Tamm said.

The cooperation agreement has been initially entered into for one year with the possibility of renewal.