Lithuania seeks to decouple from Russian power grid in 2024

"The fastest possible coupling to the European electricity grid would increase the energy security of the Baltic States and the European Union as a whole," Nauseda said. An underwater link between Poland and Lithuania needs to be finished and their power grids upgraded before the decoupling from the Soviet legacy grid.

Lithuania seeks to decouple from the Russian power grid in 2024, a year ahead of schedule, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said on Monday.

European Union members Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia's power grids are working in concert with those of Russia and Belarus, and depend on Russia to ensure stable power supplies. A 1.6-billion-euro ($1.94 billion) project financed by the EU aims to disconnect the Baltic states from Russia and Belarus in 2025 and connect them to the decentralised power system of continental Europe.

"Let's not leave any opportunities for the aggressor to use energy as a tool of political manipulation", Nauseda was quoted as saying in a statement released after his meeting with EU Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson in Vilnius. "The fastest possible coupling to the European electricity grid would increase the energy security of the Baltic States and the European Union as a whole," Nauseda said.

An underwater link between Poland and Lithuania needs to be finished and their power grids upgraded before the decoupling from the Soviet legacy grid. Lithuania installed equipment last year which would allow it to link up to the continental Europe grid immediately if needed, as an insurance policy in case Russia cuts off power earlier, potentially causing blackouts.

It successfully tested the connection in December, hailing what Lithuania's energy minister called "greater geopolitical security".

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)