Baltics actively preparing for synchronization, risks under control – advisor

VILNIUS - The Baltic states are actively preparing for the synchronization of their electricity grids with Western Europe, scheduled to take place by February 2025, and all potential risks are under control, Jarek Niewierowicz, an advisor to Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, says.

"The biggest risk we saw was our disagreement with our counterparts in Latvia and Estonia, but agreement was reached some time ago that the synchronization would happen by February next year," Niewierowicz told the Ziniu Radijas news radio on Tuesday. "This is the most important thing, and we are actively preparing for this here, just as our neighbors are. So, I would say that all risks are under control."

His comment comes after former energy minister Arvydas Sekmokas told the delfi.lt new website last week about his concern that the election-heavy year of 2024, as well as Donald Trump's possible victory in the US presidential election, could pose a risk to the Baltic states' synchronization plans.

Niewierowicz doesn’t believe that possible changes in the US administration would have an impact on the Baltic synchronization. 

"I think we have a really good dialogue with the current American administration, and the Energy Ministry has explained everything in great detail to the Department of State and the American Embassy here about the timetable, the technical parameters, our preparations, how everything will happen," the presidential advisor said.

The prime ministers of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia and the Baltic TSOs agreed in August to bring forward the synchronization deadline to February 2025, and this was enshrined in December in a declaration by signed by the European Commission and the Baltic and Polish energy ministers.