Summary
Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia have disconnected from Russia’s power grid to prevent “geopolitical blackmail.”
The move, decades in the making, was accelerated by fears of Russian pressure after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
The Baltic states will test their energy stability for 24 hours before integrating with Europe’s grid via Poland.
Officials warn of potential cyberattacks and sabotage, with increased security in place.
Estonia’s Kaja Kallas called the move “a victory for freedom and European unity.”
Local perspective: seems to be going smoothly.
Some people were appropriately concerned, but some were a bit too worried (and I’ve had to explain power grid basics to folks who depend on electrcity, but know nothing). If one writes an article saying some lines will be disconnected, some folks automatically assume it’s a power cut. :) Perhaps a lesson about journalists needing to use simple and clear wording if the matter needs to be understood by everyone.
The biggest risk that was taken into account was risk of well-timed sabotage, so more important installations are better guarded for the transition period.
Since Ukraine did it’s synchronization with the European grid while under fire, and also managed - I think that nothing worth mentioning will happen here.