The Baltic electricity systems will be synchronised to the continental European grid in February 2025

The energy systems of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia will be disconnected from the Russian-controlled system and connected to the continental European grid in February 2025. The agreement on the synchronisation date was signed by the Baltic governments and electricity transmission system operators Augstsprieguma tīkls AS , Elering and Litgrid at the beginning of August.?

The agreement also implies that the Baltic countries will jointly refuse to renew the BRELL contract with the Russian and Belarusian transmission operators in the summer of 2024, half a year before the synchronisation.?

"Together with our partners, we have agreed on certain steps and dates for disconnecting from the Russian system and joining the continental European Synchronous zone. For the first time, the operators of the three countries have jointly made clear commitments to complete the synchronisation on the agreed timeframe - February 2025," said Rokas Masiulis , Litgrid CEO.?

The Baltic TSOs and the Gdansk branch of the Polish Energy Institute carried out studies earlier this year to explore the possibility of synchronisation earlier than the previously foreseen end of the year 2025.?

The results of the studies show that by the beginning of 2025, the Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian electricity transmission systems will be ready to safely disconnect from the Russian-controlled system and synchronise with the continental European grid.?

By the agreed date, essential works such as the installation of the first synchronous condencers in Estonia and Lithuania, the installation of control systems and the reconstruction of the third line Veru-Tsirgulyna-Valmiera between Estonia and Latvia will be completed.?

Next steps?

The first synchronous condensers for Lithuania have already arrived to the Alytus and Tel?iai transformer substations. Special platforms and buildings for the synchronous condensers are currently being installed.???

In Estonia, the first synchronous condenser has already been connected to the transmission grid at the Piusio transformer substation. Litgrid is currently developing and integrating the software for the Automatic Generation Management (AGM) system, with the first tests scheduled for autumn. Together with AST and Elering, the Lithuanian TSO intends to complete the AGV implementation project this year.??

The reconstruction of the third Estonian-Latvian transmission line from Veru to Tsirgulyna and from Tsirgulyna to Valmiera transformer substations is currently underway.?

More than 10 projects completed?

The other synchronisation projects of Baltic operators will be implemented by the end of 2025 or later.???

In total, Litgrid has implemented 7 synchronisation projects. These include the expansion of the 330 kV Bit?nai transformer substation, the construction of the 110 kV Pag?giai-Bit?nai line, the reconstruction of the 330 kV Lietuvos Elektrin?-Vilnius line, the expansion of the LitPol Link, the test of the emergency connection to the continental European grid via the LitPol Link synchronous link, the optimisation of the North-Eastern Lithuanian transmission network and the test of isolated operation in Lithuania.??

Elering completed five synchronisation projects. These include the reconstruction of the 330 kV Balti-Tartu transmission line, the connection of a synchronous condenser to the transmission grid at the Piusio transformer substation, the implementation of automatic generation control system and studies on the power transmission system.?

The Estonian transmission system operator, together with Latvian partner AST has reconstructed the 330 kV Tartu-Valmiera transmission line.?