Analytics, Baltic, Baltic States – CIS, Energy, Energy Market, Lithuania

Having attended a meeting of the Baltic Energy Market Interconnection Plan (BEMIP) high-level group in Brussels, Purlys said further discussions would focus on the Baltic systems' operation under an isolated regime after previous plans to hold the trial in June were postponed.

"The power transmission operators provided the existing information on the isolated operation trial and the causes of that public announcement of its postponement. It was agreed that these positions need further clarification to continue discussions in the middle of April and speak about the closest date for the isolated operation trial," the vice minister said.

In his words, the change in the trial date has no impact on the synchronization project's implementation deadline, which now is 2025. It's not a problem or an irresolvable matter, Purlys said.

The Baltic states had planned to hold a test of the Baltic energy systems' isolated operation in June but the Estonian and Latvian transmission system operators decided in early February to postpone the test indefinitely, citing the plans by Russia's Kaliningrad region to carry out a similar test earlier. Lithuania's power system operator Litgrid said a new date for the test would have to be set.

The Baltic grids are still part of the post-Soviet BRELL ring, which also includes Russia and Belarus, and remain dependent on the control center in Moscow and the Russian electricity system.

The Baltic states want to synchronize their power system with that of continental Europe via the existing Lithuanian-Polish power link, LitPol Link, and a new submarine cable between the two countries.