Baltic States Sever Ties with Soviet-Era Grid, Join European Energy System
On Saturday, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania officially disconnected from the Soviet-era electricity grid, severing their final energy ties with Russia after more than three decades of independence. This symbolic act, marked by a countdown in Vilnius, involved the sequential shutdown of all remaining transmission lines connecting the Baltic states to Russia and Belarus. The Baltic Power System will operate independently for 24 hours before synchronizing with European networks on Sunday. This transition, supported by increased security measures, represents a significant geopolitical shift and strengthens the Baltics’ energy independence.