Author: PPD Team Date: 10/02/2025
Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania have disconnected their electricity grids from Russia and Belarus, marking a major geopolitical shift more than three decades after leaving the Soviet Union.
Efforts to sever ties accelerated after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, further straining Moscow’s relationship with the EU. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda called it the final step in eliminating reliance on Russian and Belarusian energy. EU officials, including Ursula von der Leyen, will attend a ceremony in Vilnius, where a 9-meter clock will count down to the disconnection.
Over the years, 16 power lines linking the Baltic states with Russia and Belarus were dismantled as new infrastructure connected them to the EU, including underwater cables in the Baltic Sea.
On February 8, 2025, the remaining transmission lines were switched off. The Baltic Power System will then operate independently for 24 hours before merging with the Continental European and Nordic grids via Finland, Sweden, and Poland.
The three nations, which share a 1,633-kilometre border with Russia and Belarus, officially notified Moscow and Minsk of the plan in July.
Despite the advance notice, they remain alert for potential responses. Estonia’s public broadcaster ERR reported a rise in generator sales as some residents take precautions.