By Andrius Sytas
VILNIUS (Reuters) -Lithuania last week successfully tested a coupling of its power grid to the European continental system, boosting the country’s energy security, Energy Minister Dainius Kreivys said on Wednesday.
Power grids of EU members Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia are working in concert to those of Russia and Belarus, and depend on Russia to ensure stable power supplies.
The three countries intend to decouple from the Soviet legacy in 2025 when an underwater link between Poland and Lithuania is finished and their power grids are upgraded.
The test took place on Saturday night, Lithuania’s transmission service operator Litgrid said, and proved that the power grids of Baltic States can be quickly coupled with those in Western Europe if connection with Russia or Belarus fails.
“The result of this test gives us greater geopolitical security”, said Energy minister Dainius Kreivys, referring to region’s tensions with Russia.
Final terms of the power system divorce between Russia and the Baltics have not been finalized.
“On Sunday, the three Baltic countries woke up more safe than when they went to bed on Saturday evening,” Rokas Masiulis, Litgrid chief executive, told a news conference.
(Reporting by Andrius Sytas; Editing by Terje Solsvik, Gwladys Fouche and Mark Porter)
