Modern EU

The EU’s present energy infrastructure is both aging and often do not fit into the modern socio-economic circumstances; in part, most of the Baltic States’ electricity networks are still connected to the old Soviet- Belarusian electricity-generation systems.

Besides, modern energy systems shall be suited to ensure security of supply and include energy production from renewable sources. It is expected that in recent years the upgrading of existing, and development of new energy transmission infrastructures in Europe will require investments of about €140 bn in electricity and at least €70 bn in gas.

Short history

Since the beginning of its term at the end of 2014, the Commission has worked to build consensus among partners on the roadmap which has been finally agreed on with a set of targets to be fulfilled by 2025 for the full synchronisation.

In March 2019, the Connecting Europe Facility €323 mln grant agreement was signed to finance the first phase of the synchronisation process, covering 75% of the total investment volume to complete the first phase.

In May 2019, the formal extension of the continental European grid to the Baltic States' was approved within the European Network of Transmission System Operators; the process was initiated by Poland.

The European Commission constantly underlined that it was committed to facilitate decisive progress on the synchronisation and support the Baltic States intention while working towards implementing strategic energy infrastructure of the Baltic Sea region.

Vital move

In June 2019, the Commission leaders (the President and his Vice-President) together with the Lithuanian President and Prime Ministers of Estonia, Poland and Latvia signed a political declaration defining a roadmap to implement the synchronisation of the Baltic States' electricity networks with the Continental European Network via Poland.

Commission President underlined that the roadmap provides a working plan for achieving full syncronisation by the end of 2025. “The Commission has always been committed to have full integration of the Baltic States' grids with the rest of Europe, he added, and that that the EU would facilitate decisive progress on synchronisation to implement strategic energy infrastructure of the Baltic Sea region.”

Reference: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/IP_19_3337

Presently, some of the Baltic States’ “electricity regions” are connected with the European partners through recently established electricity lines with Poland (LitPol Link), Sweden (NordBalt) and Finland (Estlink 1 and Estlink 2). These projects have been implemented through an extensive EU financial and technical support during last decade.

The de-synchronisation of the Baltic States' electricity grid from these systems and the synchronisation with the continental European network (CEN) is an essential political priority for the achievement of the European Energy Union. The relevant grid reinforcements have been included in the third EU list of “projects of common interest” (PCIs) adopted by the Commission in November 2017.

The EU Union list of projects of common interest can be seen at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv:OJ.L_.2018.090.01.0038.01.ENG&toc=OJ:L:2018:090:TOC

The PCIs are intended to help the EU achieve its energy policy and climate protection objectives: affordable, secure and sustainable energy for all citizens.

Generally, the EU’s energy infrastructure is aging and in its current form is not suited to match future demand for energy, to ensure security of supply or to support large-scale deployment of energy from renewable sources. The upgrading of existing, and development of new energy transmission infrastructures of European importance will require investments of about €140 bn in electricity and at least €70 bn in gas.

Projects on the PCI list are also included into the financial framework of the Connecting Europe Facility-Energy funding.

On financial instruments in: https://ec.europa.eu/inea/en/connecting-europe-facility/cef-energy

More information in the following web-links:

-Political Roadmap implementing the synchronisation of the Baltic States' electricity networks with the Continental European Network via Poland; 

- Brochure: Ending energy isolation of Eastern Baltic Region; 

- Energy Union; - Baltic Energy Interconnection Plan (BEMIP).

General reference: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/IP_19_3337