The Baltic States—Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania have completed electricity transition by disconnecting from the Russian and Belarusian electricity networks and synchronizing with the European continental electricity grid. This move has been completed in February for synchronization with the European grid.
This strategic decoupling from the Russian-controlled Belarus, Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania system, has been in place since the Soviet era, underscores an important step towards energy independence and integration with the European Union’s energy framework. It enhances the energy security of the Baltic countries by eliminating their reliance on Russian energy infrastructure, which has been a point of geopolitical tension, especially highlighted by ongoing war.
The project was supported by the European Union, which provided significant financial backing, totalling around 1.2 billion euros for infrastructure development necessary for this synchronization. This included building new power lines, enhancing frequency management, and upgrading IT systems to ensure compatibility with the European grid.
This integration could potentially lead to more competitive electricity markets, benefiting consumers with possibly lower electricity costs and better integration of renewable energy sources. his synchronization not only secures current energy supplies but also paves the way for further infrastructural projects like additional interconnectors with Poland and other EU countries, enhancing overall regional energy security. The move symbolizes a further shift away from Russia and aligning more closely with Western European structures, both economically and politically.
In future, EU will be focussing on ambitious Harmonly Link project. The Harmony Link is a 700 MW High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) interconnector. Originally planned as a submarine cable, it was set to connect the Zarnowiec substation in Poland with the Darbėnai substation in Lithuania. In 2024, PSE (Polish transmission system operator) and Litgrid (Lithuanian transmission system operator) signed an agreement to implement Harmony Link as an overland line instead. This new approach involves building a double-circuit 220 kV alternating current (AC) interconnection between substations in Poland and Lithuania, along with two new substations in Poland, Norki and Wigry, and upgrading existing lines to increase capacity.
The project was initially envisioned with a total length of about 330 km, of which approximately 290 km would be offshore. The purpose was to facilitate the synchronization of the Baltic states’ power systems with the synchronous grid of Continental Europe, thereby improving energy security and enabling commercial electricity trading post-synchronization.
The total project cost was initially estimated at around €680 million, with significant EU funding through the Connecting Europe Facility. However, the shift to an overland connection was aimed at reducing costs and ensuring timely completion. The original completion target was 2025, but with the change in approach, the timeline has been adjusted, with significant steps like investment decisions and procurement preparations scheduled by the end of 2024. This interconnector is pivotal for the Baltic states, enabling them to fully integrate into the European electricity grid, thereby enhancing energy security by reducing reliance on the Russian grid and facilitating the integration of renewable energy. As of early 2025, the project is in the phase of spatial planning and environmental impact assessments with the aim of minimizing environmental impact and community disruption.
Galactik Views