Lithuania · Lithuania’s energy independence

After the restoration of state independence in 1990, Lithuania remained technically closely connected to the energy system of the former Soviet Union. Together with Estonia and Latvia, the country belonged to the so-called BRELL interconnection, which linked the electricity grids of Belarus, Russia and the three Baltic states. As a result, grid frequency continued to be regulated within a system dominated by Russia. This technical dependence was increasingly also regarded as a security risk.

Additional challenges arose from the decommissioning of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant. Its two Soviet-designed reactors were shut down in 2004 and 2009; Lithuania had agreed to this in connection with its accession to the European Union (Europäische Union). The country was subsequently more dependent on energy imports. To diversify its energy supply, a floating liquefied natural gas terminal began operating in the port of Klaipėda in 2014. It bears the name “Independence” and enabled gas deliveries via the global market rather than exclusively through Russian pipelines.

At the same time, new electricity connections were established. The NordBalt connection to Sweden and LitPol Link to Poland integrated Lithuania more closely into the Nordic and continental European electricity markets, respectively. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the Baltic states accelerated their move away from Russian energy supplies.

The central technical step took place in February 2025: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania disconnected their grids from the Russian-Belarusian interconnection and synchronized them with the continental European electricity grid. Since then, grid frequency has been regulated jointly with the European partners. This required the expansion of power lines, substations, control technology and reserve capacities over many years, as well as close coordination among the three Baltic states, Poland and the European Union (Europäische Union).

The coin issue is thus connected with the completion of a long-term infrastructure and integration project. The occasion links security of supply with Lithuania’s political orientation towards the West and the country’s closer integration into European networks.