Lithuania is no longer buying electricity from Russia and Belarus but the frequency of its transformers is still controlled from Moscow. The synchronisation, which will take place in 100 days, will help to fully consolidate Lithuania’s energy independence, according to Kreivys.
A clock will be unveiled at the Energy Museum in Vilnius on Thursday to start counting down the 100 days until synchronisation. The minister says this symbol of Lithuania’s imminent energy independence will also be visible from across the river.
"I can liken this move to the departure of the last Russian tanks and soldiers from Lithuania. We will be breaking the last link between us and Moscow in the energy sector, and also the country’s last link with Moscow," the energy minister told LRT Radio on Thursday morning.
"We will no longer have any more links that bind us directly," he added.
According to the minister, the Baltic States will initially work together in a three-way partnership to maintain frequency and ensure generation once the synchronisation process starts, before joining other European countries through a synchronous electricity line with Poland, LitPol Link.
"On 8 February, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia will start a test run where the three countries will work together in a closed island regime. This means that we will have to work together to both maintain our frequency and ensure the generation. Within a day, we will connect to Europe via our newly built synchronous link with Poland," said Kreivys, underlining that electricity consumers will not be affected by the change.
"People will feel absolutely nothing – no lights will flicker, nothing will turn on, because the system we have now built in these six years is indescribably strong," the minister stated.
He also said the tests Lithuania has run to date prove that the transition will be smooth.
"Lithuania is the main country. We will synchronise the other Baltic States with Europe. All the interconnectors, all the main technological facilities are located here, with 70% of the total investment made in Lithuania. Testing our system gives the certainty that everything will be fine," Kreivys said.
Lithuania, Latvian, Estonian leaders and transmission system operators had agreed to disconnect from Russia’s IPS/UPS system, the so-called BRELL ring, in February 2025.